The Monett football kicker that was hurt in the Lamar game is home..... here is the updated story:
Cody returns home after 2 weeks
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
By Jared Lankford
sports@monett-imes.com
Monett kicker nearly lost his leg in freak football injury
Friday nights in the fall are sacred events for football fans, and stadiums around southwest Missouri are routinely filled to capacity with loyal, loud and enthusiastic patrons.
This was the case on Sept. 4, when the Class 3 and No. 7-ranked Monett football team hosted Class 2 power and top-ranked Lamar at Burl Fowler Stadium. The stands, on both sides of the field were full, and the atmosphere was electric.
Lamar elected to receive the opening kickoff, and Monett's kicker Cameron Cody sent the ball toward the north end zone and watched as all-state running back and Tiger returner Anthony Wilkerson found a crease in the Cubs' kick coverage.
"I saw a huge running lane develop to my right and knew I had to get over to where I thought the returner would run," Cody said. "When I saw [Wilkerson] break through, I knew it was my job to make the stop. I didn't want Lamar to get a score on the opening kickoff and get all of the momentum."
Cody, who was recruited by Derrek Uhl, Monett football coach, off the Cubs' soccer team to handle kickoffs and extra points, broke down to make a perfect form tackle. The collision was so hard the ball jarred free from Wilkerson's grasp, and dogpile formed as both teams scrambled for control of the loose pigskin.
"It was probably the best tackle I'd ever seen in my life," said Scott Bailey, Lamar head coach. "We've got our 5-11, 195-pound all-state running back with a 50-yard head of steam and this kicker breaks down and lays a lick on him, stops him cold in his tracks and knocks the ball free. That's tough to do."
As the mass of humanity at the 20-yard line was unfolded, Cody lay on the turf with both hands clutching his facemask.
"I remember hitting the runner," Cody said. "Then, I felt a sharp and piercing pain in my knee. It was excruciating. I was crying because my leg hurt so much."
According to Bailey, Cody took a helmet to the knee from a player diving after the loose ball.
"When we first saw Cameron lying on the turf injured, I wasn't too worried," said Rick Cody, Cameron Cody's father. "I thought he'd got the wind knocked out of him. It didn't appear serious. Then, they came over the speakers and asked for his mother and I to go to the field. That's when I got nervous."
Athletic trainers from both Monett and Lamar rushed the field. Lamar happened to have an orthopedic surgeon on its sidelines as well.
"It looked initially like a dislocated knee cap," Uhl said. "But, as I talked to Cameron, keeping him calm, you could see that the injury was much worse."
Cody was diagnosed with a tibial tuberosity avulsion fracture, a much more serious injury than a patella dislocation that Uhl had hoped. Essentially, Cody broke his tibia in three places, along with a complete break of his growth plate.
Lamar's orthopedic surgeon was able to set the broken bone and make sure the splint was properly applied. An ambulance then transported Cody to Springfield for further treatment.
"The trainers and medical professionals at Cox made this whole ordeal much easier," Rick Cody said. "When we got to Springfield, we found out how bad the injury was. They suggested that we go to Kansas City to Children's Mercy Hospital, who specialized in these types of injuries."
Cody, who is the lead pastor of St. John's Lutheran Church in Monett, believes that the Lord was looking out for his son.
Cody explained that the break occurred where blood is supplied to the lower leg. With the swelling and additional fluid building up, Cameron Cody's lower leg was not circulating blood properly, and his foot was being choked.
"Cameron's foot began to turn purple and was not getting any blood," Rick Cody said. "Once we got to Kansas City, they immediately rushed him into surgery. Had they not set his leg properly on the field in Monett, Cameron would have lost that portion of his leg."
For the Monett place kicker and starting soccer goalie, that is a thought he did not want to entertain.
"I knew that I had a lot of people praying for me," Cameron Cody said. "I know God heard their prayers. It was more than just chance that a specialist was on the sidelines that night. Everything went perfect in order to save my leg."
Doctors told Cody they would have to wait until the swelling went down before they could reconstruct his knee.
Over the next two weeks, the junior underwent four surgeries to clean and clear his leg, and to ensure the circulation was restored. With the immediate threat over, Cody's emotional well-being took center stage.
"For two weeks, Cameron just laid in bed with a broken leg," Rick Cody said. "It was hard for him. Cameron isn't the type just to lay around."
For Cameron Cody, the waiting was worse that the injury itself.
"I just want to get up and move," he said. "I wanted to go home, but you're stuck in a bed with a television. It wasn't my idea of fun. There were times I wanted to just give up, feel sorry for myself and be depressed."
The Cody family, however, was overwhelmed with the outpouring of support from their family, friends and community.
"As a pastor, you are used to asking people for prayer for those that are in need," Rick Cody said. "We learned firsthand the power of prayer and saw God's healing hand in our lives these last two weeks."
Cameron Cody said he was taken back by the support, prayers and cards he received.
"The Lamar and Mt. Vernon football teams both sent me get well cards," Cody said. "My Facebook page was full of messages. When I started feeling blue, I would get that pick-me-up I needed to keep me going."
Rick Cody said a family in Lamar sent a huge bag of beef jerky from their store when a carload of well-wishers from Monett stopped to get gas at their station. The hospital arranged for Chance Myers and Mikey Lopez, Sporting KC soccer players, to stop by for a visit.
"The Lamar and Monett communities reached out to us," Cody said. "Our church and surrounding churches were just awesome with their support, prayers and encouragement."
For Cameron Cody, he learned a valuable lesson.
"I learned the difference between competition and sportsmanship," he said. "My teammates and the players from both Lamar and Mt. Vernon went out of their way to reach out to me. They continued to check up on me and lift me up."
After 12 days of laying on his back, the doctors were able to preform the fifth and final surgery to reconstruct his knee.
"Rehab has been hard," Cody said. "After lying down for so long, my body forgot how to walk. It was just used to being injured. But I have made strides and I finally get to go home."
On Friday, Cody was released from the hospital. Although, the first part of his recovery is over, the journey back has just begun.
The traditional recovery time for his particular injury is six months and Cody is expected to make a full recovery. The junior has visions of returning in time for track season.
"I still have six months of physical theory, but I would like to get back in time for track season," he said. "I haven't made a decision about next fall and football. I think I may want to just play one sport, but I haven't made my mind up."
As for his stats from this year, Cody was 12-for-12 in point-after attempts and is credited with one life-changing tackle he will never forget.
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