KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Praying for a miracle but preparing for the worst – loved ones were with Blue Valley Coach Eric Driskell Tuesday night, as he remained in the hospital on life support.
A neurosurgeon at Research Medical Center told reporters Driskell suffered cardio pulmonary arrest and had experienced irreversible neurological damage. His family is now making plans for organ donation, the doctor said.
Driskell’s wife, Kari, said he was "doing what he loved - talking football,” when he had a ruptured brain aneurysm Sunday at a board meeting for the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association (GKCFCA).
Sam Knopik, head football coach at Pembroke Hill and president of the GKCFCA, was just feet away when Driskell collapsed.
“He actually had the floor,” Knopik said of Driskell, “and was getting his analysis of a particular product that we were considering bringing on for our all-star game this summer, and he just paused in his speech…”
Knopik trailed off, saying other coaches sprung into action, but there was little they could do.
“Very sudden, very tragic,” he said. “It was pretty heavy, and the immediacy of knowing how fragile... knowing how fragile this experience of life is for us all.”
“It’s something that I’ve talked about with my own children. I’ve talked about it with my students, and I know the rest of our community have done the same.”
Knopik has been friends with Driskell for years. They first met when the Kansas City Chiefs named both of them Coach of the Year in 2011 – Knopik for Missouri and Driskell for Kansas.
“We met at Arrowhead for the big banquet and that was kind of a neat deal,” Knopik remembered. “They put us up on the Jumbotron and had our teams there. It was a fun night.”
Since that day, Knopik said he has grown to respect and admire Driskell on and off the field.
“It`s kind of the perfect storm – he`s the coach that does it right and wins,” Knopik said. “Xs and Os wise, and trophies on the wall, he`s accomplished more than most ever will.”
It’s a situation that's only grown tougher, as doctors said Driskell will soon give back to his community one last time, through organ donation – leaving a lasting legacy Knopik said will live on in the kids Driskell coached.
“He`s the guy that parents want their kids to play for,” Knopik said. “His reputation is one that parents know he`s going to treat their kids right, and on top of that, going to put a successful team on the field, and it`s going to be a great experience all the way around.”
Knopik has visited Driskell and his family in the hospital. He said the entire community is praying for them. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family.