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Former Blue Jay saves the life of NFL player
Cappuccino played defensive back for Hopkins from 1980-1983
Issue date: 9/20/07
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As a Hopkins football player and 1984 alumnus, Dr. Andrew Cappuccino never came close to a career in the NFL after graduation. On Sept. 9, however, he put his Hopkins education and love of football to good use and might have saved a young NFL player's life.
Kevin Everett, a second-year tight end for the Buffalo Bills who played college football at the University of Miami, suffered an upper level cervical spine fracture during the Bills' season-opener against the Denver Broncos.
While trying to tackle Broncos kick returner Domenik Hixon on the second half kickoff, Everett collapsed on the field, unable to move any of his limbs. If not for the quick thinking of Cappuccino and the rest of the Bills' medical staff, nottack only Everett's football career, but his life, could have ended right there on the 20-yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Cappuccino performed multiple procedures on Everett including limited hypothermia therapy, a procedure not usually performed when dealing with limited paralysis.
The induced hypothermia dropped Everett's body temperature to 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit and increased his chances of survival and successful recovery.
"In hindsight, it was the only option," Cappuccino said when asked about his decision to use a somewhat controversial procedure. "I made him a promise I would do everything I could in my power."
Dr. Cappuccino also performed the necessary emergency decompressive surgery to relax Everett's spinal cord and stabilize the spine.
"Everything that could possibly be done to spare his neurological status was done," Cappuccino said in a press conference after the surgery had been performed. "The time frame was more expeditious than anyone could even hope for."
Cappuccino, who was a defensive back on the Hopkins football squad from 1980-1983 and a teammate of current head coach Jim Margraff on the 1981 team that set a school wins record at 7-2, credits his time at Hopkins for helping him as a doctor and with handling the fragile situation with Kevin Everett.
Kevin Everett, a second-year tight end for the Buffalo Bills who played college football at the University of Miami, suffered an upper level cervical spine fracture during the Bills' season-opener against the Denver Broncos.
While trying to tackle Broncos kick returner Domenik Hixon on the second half kickoff, Everett collapsed on the field, unable to move any of his limbs. If not for the quick thinking of Cappuccino and the rest of the Bills' medical staff, nottack only Everett's football career, but his life, could have ended right there on the 20-yard line of Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Cappuccino performed multiple procedures on Everett including limited hypothermia therapy, a procedure not usually performed when dealing with limited paralysis.
The induced hypothermia dropped Everett's body temperature to 91.4 degrees Fahrenheit and increased his chances of survival and successful recovery.
"In hindsight, it was the only option," Cappuccino said when asked about his decision to use a somewhat controversial procedure. "I made him a promise I would do everything I could in my power."
Dr. Cappuccino also performed the necessary emergency decompressive surgery to relax Everett's spinal cord and stabilize the spine.
"Everything that could possibly be done to spare his neurological status was done," Cappuccino said in a press conference after the surgery had been performed. "The time frame was more expeditious than anyone could even hope for."
Cappuccino, who was a defensive back on the Hopkins football squad from 1980-1983 and a teammate of current head coach Jim Margraff on the 1981 team that set a school wins record at 7-2, credits his time at Hopkins for helping him as a doctor and with handling the fragile situation with Kevin Everett.
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