Devon Walker Injured: A Scary Time With An Inspirational Response

Today a very serious and possibly tragic event was witnessed by a stadium full of football fans and countless viewers on television.  Tulane University was playing Tulsa University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  With two seconds left in the first half a seemingly minor head-to-head collision of two Tulane players left Devon Walker unconscious and non-responsive on the field (https://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8352006/tulane-safety-devon-walker-hospitalized-suffered-broken-neck-collapsed-lung-hit ).  Medical people rushed to the site to begin administering aid, including CPR and a tracheotomy, to the stricken player.  An ambulance came onto the field, and after several tense minutes of work on Walker, he was loaded into the ambulance and taken to nearby St. Francis Hospital.  The latest report I have is that Walker suffered a broken neck and a collapsed lung.  https://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/eye-on-college-football/20107767/tulane-safety-devon-walker-leaves-field-in-ambulance

What made this event extraordinary was the reaction of the members of the Tulsa team and their fans.  Players, coaches, cheerleaders, fans, and anyone else there immediately knelt on the field and sidelines in prayer.  Soon Tulsa University chaplain Jeff Francis was standing on the center logo of the field with a microphone, leading the entire stadium in prayer for the injured player. (https://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/09/tulane-player-given-cpr/1?csp=34sports&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+UsatodaycomSports-TopStories+%28Sports+-+Top+Stories%29)

At a time in our nation when any reference to God is taboo, the Democrat Party just had a huge fight over putting a reference to God back in their party platform; and the ACLU and atheist groups pound anyone who dares to speak about God in public it is refreshing to see this public display of faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Faith in God is what established our nation and faith in God is what has brought us through wars, economic downturns, and tough times.  To see political correctness thrown out the window to offer public prayers for an injured player is an awesome sight and an inspiration.  My wife was just telling me that Devon Walker is described as a young man of strong faith and character, a walk-on who worked to pay his way to a private college and only began playing football last year.

The same faith this stadium full of people showed today is what sustains us and our nation.  I don’t know what Devon Walker’s future will be like after this injury but I am confident, considering what I have heard of his faith and his character, he will make the most of what he faces in coming days, weeks, months, and years. 

This incident, as tragic as it is, illustrates the true character of Americans.  No one stopped to ask if it was okay to pray in public; they just did it because that is what We the People believe in.  People immediately and unashamedly lifted this young man’s care to God.  There is no better response that can be made than to lift an injury such as this to God immediately.  My best wishes and prayers go out to Devon Walker and his family.  My respect and admiration go out to schools and to their coaches, players, and fans.

I submit this in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, in faith, with the responsibility given to me by Almighty God to honor His work and not let it die from neglect.

Bob Russell

Claremore, Oklahoma

September 8, 2012