Tulane safety Devon Walker fractures spine vs. Tulsa, set for surgery
Published: Saturday, September 08, 2012
Tulane football endured perhaps its most difficult day Saturday as senior safety Devon Walker suffered a spine fracture after taking a blow to the head right before halftime of Saturday's game against Tulsa in H.A. Chapman Stadium. He will need spinal surgery, doctors said. It's unclear whether the injury has caused any paralysis.
Tulane safety Devon Walker, rear, suffered a spine injury on this play at the end of the first half Saturday against Tulsa. Walker, a 6-foot, 173-pound senior from Destrehan, collided with Green Wave defensive end Julius Warmsley while trying to tackle Tulsa’s Willie Carter on the final play of the first half.
Walker was taken to St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa and was diagnosed with a cervical spine fracture and edema (swelling) in his spinal cord. Several media reports said Walker suffered from a collapsed lung, and got a tracheotomy on the field. But those reports were untrue, team Dr. Greg Stewart said. Walker did get CPR, however, as a precautionary measure.
"He did not drop a lung," Stewart said. "Was there CPR done? Did we do chest compressions? Yes. But it was one of those things where once we got him hooked up to the monitor, his blood pressure was low so it was hard to feel the blood pressure and we didn't have anything – he wasn't hooked up to an EKG, wasn't hooked up to an AED. When we first got out there and were dealing with him, we didn't have any equipment so it's all about what you can feel through sweat and gloves and all that kind of stuff. So, yes we did (do CPR) because we figured we would rather err on the side on doing compressions when we didn't need to as opposed to not doing them and wishing we had."
Stewart said Walker had some feeling in his arms and legs, but it is unclear whether he will experience paralysis long term.
"I think it's unknown," Stewart said. "We talked to the (team) tonight about it and the reality is you don't know for 24 to 48 hours. It doesn't matter how they present. You do that 24-48 hours before you really know what is going on. ... That's what I told the guys is what we know is that we don't know and anyone who comes out and tells you that they do know – they don't know. The reality of where we are right now is saying our prayers and sitting and waiting."
Walker will have surgery in Tulsa in the next few days, Stewart said. Walker's uncle was at the game but more members of his family were traveling to Tulsa Saturday evening, Tulane officials said. They will join athletic trainer Danny Taylor and athletic director Rick Dickson, who stayed behind with Walker in Tulsa as the rest of the team returned to New Orleans and were talked to by Tulane administrators and Stewart about Walker.
According to the radio broadcast of the game, the Tulane players knew immediately that Walker was seriously injured and appeared shaken as they headed into the locker room for halftime, which was extended as medical personnel worked with Walker on the field.
"It was just a difficult day, probably the most difficult day ever,” Tulane first-year coach Curtis Johnson said postgame. “Just seeing one of our guys, one of our family members out on the ground, go in an ambulance. … I don’t know they could focus on what they are doing. … I thought about saying hey, let’s just not doing anything else. Let’s just get on the road and go and see Devon.”
The game, which ended in a 45-10 Tulane loss, went on with out Walker, a well-liked teammate with dreadlocks he has grown since his freshman year at Destrehan.
"The current plan is for him to have surgery in the next one to two days," the Tulane athletic department released in a statement. "He is being treated by specialists. The Tulsa physicians did a great job taking care of Devon.”
Walker won the hearts of his teammates and coaches after working from walk-on status into a scholarship player last season and has blossomed into a starter. He had his best game last week in the season opener against Rutgers with a team-high nine tackles.
In an interview before the season, Walker said he was looking forward to an injury-free campaign after suffering various ailments in previous years.
"I've gained some weight and I've gotten faster with that too," Walker said. "We've really been hitting the weights, hitting running a lot harder this summer. People have gotten faster, stronger as a whole, not just individuals. ... Last year there were a lot of injuries, me included. It was a freak thing. Once one thing happened then another and then another and then another."
His former high school coach, Destrehan’s Stephen Robicheaux, was shocked to hear of Walker’s injury.
“I’m just devastated for something like this to happen to such a great person," Robicheaux said.
Robicheaux said Walker’s devotion to football mirrored his diligence to his studies. Walker is a cell and molecular biology major with designs on becoming a pharmacist like his sister, Yolan Bender.
“He’s a driven kid," Robicheaux said. "He’s a kid who works hard. He’s an overachiever. They said he was too slow to play college ball, but then he always had a skill set and did what he needed to do. He set his goal to play for Tulane. He wanted to get his degree there and then here he is on scholarship. That says it all about Devon Walker. He’s a great kid. He does whatever it takes to be successful."
The college football nation, with thoughts of paralyzed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand still fresh in their minds, poured out a rash of Twitter support, creating a #prayersfordevon hashtag and also expressed support via Facebook.
LeGrand also fractured his cervical spine. His injury came Oct. 16, 2010, against Army. While making a tackle he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae, resulting in paralysis from the shoulders down.
It is unknown what vertebrae Walker fractured and Stewart said whether Walker returns to full health is an unknown at this point.
Tulane safety Devon Walker, rear, suffered a spine injury on this play at the end of the first half Saturday against Tulsa. Walker, a 6-foot, 173-pound senior from Destrehan, collided with Green Wave defensive end Julius Warmsley while trying to tackle Tulsa’s Willie Carter on the final play of the first half. "He did not drop a lung," Stewart said. "Was there CPR done? Did we do chest compressions? Yes. But it was one of those things where once we got him hooked up to the monitor, his blood pressure was low so it was hard to feel the blood pressure and we didn't have anything – he wasn't hooked up to an EKG, wasn't hooked up to an AED. When we first got out there and were dealing with him, we didn't have any equipment so it's all about what you can feel through sweat and gloves and all that kind of stuff. So, yes we did (do CPR) because we figured we would rather err on the side on doing compressions when we didn't need to as opposed to not doing them and wishing we had."
Stewart said Walker had some feeling in his arms and legs, but it is unclear whether he will experience paralysis long term.
"I think it's unknown," Stewart said. "We talked to the (team) tonight about it and the reality is you don't know for 24 to 48 hours. It doesn't matter how they present. You do that 24-48 hours before you really know what is going on. ... That's what I told the guys is what we know is that we don't know and anyone who comes out and tells you that they do know – they don't know. The reality of where we are right now is saying our prayers and sitting and waiting."
Walker will have surgery in Tulsa in the next few days, Stewart said. Walker's uncle was at the game but more members of his family were traveling to Tulsa Saturday evening, Tulane officials said. They will join athletic trainer Danny Taylor and athletic director Rick Dickson, who stayed behind with Walker in Tulsa as the rest of the team returned to New Orleans and were talked to by Tulane administrators and Stewart about Walker.
According to the radio broadcast of the game, the Tulane players knew immediately that Walker was seriously injured and appeared shaken as they headed into the locker room for halftime, which was extended as medical personnel worked with Walker on the field.
"It was just a difficult day, probably the most difficult day ever,” Tulane first-year coach Curtis Johnson said postgame. “Just seeing one of our guys, one of our family members out on the ground, go in an ambulance. … I don’t know they could focus on what they are doing. … I thought about saying hey, let’s just not doing anything else. Let’s just get on the road and go and see Devon.”
The game, which ended in a 45-10 Tulane loss, went on with out Walker, a well-liked teammate with dreadlocks he has grown since his freshman year at Destrehan.
"The current plan is for him to have surgery in the next one to two days," the Tulane athletic department released in a statement. "He is being treated by specialists. The Tulsa physicians did a great job taking care of Devon.”
Walker won the hearts of his teammates and coaches after working from walk-on status into a scholarship player last season and has blossomed into a starter. He had his best game last week in the season opener against Rutgers with a team-high nine tackles.
In an interview before the season, Walker said he was looking forward to an injury-free campaign after suffering various ailments in previous years.
"I've gained some weight and I've gotten faster with that too," Walker said. "We've really been hitting the weights, hitting running a lot harder this summer. People have gotten faster, stronger as a whole, not just individuals. ... Last year there were a lot of injuries, me included. It was a freak thing. Once one thing happened then another and then another and then another."
His former high school coach, Destrehan’s Stephen Robicheaux, was shocked to hear of Walker’s injury.
“I’m just devastated for something like this to happen to such a great person," Robicheaux said.
Robicheaux said Walker’s devotion to football mirrored his diligence to his studies. Walker is a cell and molecular biology major with designs on becoming a pharmacist like his sister, Yolan Bender.
“He’s a driven kid," Robicheaux said. "He’s a kid who works hard. He’s an overachiever. They said he was too slow to play college ball, but then he always had a skill set and did what he needed to do. He set his goal to play for Tulane. He wanted to get his degree there and then here he is on scholarship. That says it all about Devon Walker. He’s a great kid. He does whatever it takes to be successful."
The college football nation, with thoughts of paralyzed Rutgers defensive tackle Eric LeGrand still fresh in their minds, poured out a rash of Twitter support, creating a #prayersfordevon hashtag and also expressed support via Facebook.
LeGrand also fractured his cervical spine. His injury came Oct. 16, 2010, against Army. While making a tackle he fractured his C3 and C4 vertebrae, resulting in paralysis from the shoulders down.
It is unknown what vertebrae Walker fractured and Stewart said whether Walker returns to full health is an unknown at this point.
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