It looked like things were going to be okay after the indoor practice facility collapsed on Saturday. Today, we learned things were not. Cowboys scout Rich Behm is paralyzed from the waist down after his spinal cord was severed in the accident. In a statement from the team:
Scouting assistant Rich Behm (33) sustained a fracture to the Thoracic spine (10th Thoracic vertebrae). The fracture caused a severing of the spinal cord at that level causing permanent paralysis from the waist down. He underwent surgery to stabilize the fracture last night and remains in stable condition at Parkland Hospital.
Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis (43) sustained a fracture of one of his cervical vertebrae (C-7/T-1). He remains in stable condition without paralysis at Parkland Hospital. Surgery to stabilize the fracture is scheduled for Monday morning.
Assistant athletic trainer, Greg Gaither (35) sustained a fracture to the tibia and fibula in his right leg which was surgically repaired last night at Baylor University Medical Center. He should be released later this week.
Incredible sadness.
Best wishes for scout Rich Behm somehow seem totally inadequate at a time like this. His life is forever altered. This story went from unbelievable, to a lucky escape for all, to a tragic accident that has permanently paralyzed someone.
A little more about Rich Behm from Todd Archer at the DMN blog.