ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Kevin Everett will be honored while
attending Buffalo's season opener against Seattle on Sunday, a year
after the former Bills tight end sustained a severe life-threatening
spinal cord injury.
Everett, who has since made a remarkable
recovery, is scheduled to be present to receive the Professional
Football Writers of America's Halas Award, which goes to the individual
in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed last season.
Everett
certainly fits that bill. Doctors feared he'd never walk again after he
was initially paralyzed from the neck down attempting to make a tackle
while covering a kickoff in the Bills' season opener against Denver.
Days
later, Everett showed signs of movement and began walking by November.
He has since written a book about his recovery and received numerous
honors.
It will be Everett's second visit to a Bills game after
he attended the team's home finale last season, a 38-21 loss to the New
York Giants on Dec. 23.
Later this month, Everett will be honored
by The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis at its annual Great Sports
Legends Dinner in New York. Everett will receive the Inspiration Award
handed out by the University of Miami-based spinal cord injury research
center.
The Miami Project played a role in Everett's recovery by
consulting with Bills team physicians shortly after the player was
hurt.