University of Tennessee Athletics
Heart and Soul
January 10, 2010 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 10, 2010
By Drew Edwards, UTsports.com
It's been more than three months since everything changed for Emmanuel Negedu.
Well, almost everything.
Before suffering sudden cardiac arrest shortly after a workout on Sept. 28, Negedu's life revolved around the game of basketball. But even after doctors at UT Medical Center inserted an implantable cardiac defibrillator, Negedu still spends plenty of time around the game he loves.
He's just not able to play or practice with the Vols.
The adjustment hasn't been easy. But little has since he lost consciousness inside the Neyland-Thompson Sports Center.
Senior associate athletic trainer Chad Newman and director of sports medicine Jason McVeigh successfully revived Negedu with an automated electronic defibrillator, one of 19 throughout Tennessee's athletic facilities donated by UT Medical Center.
"Chad's a hero for that," Negedu said. "If Chad wasn't there, I don't know where I'd be right now. I'd be six feet underground."
Instead, he's still with his teammates.
Since having surgery , Negedu has been at practices, and he's watched every game from the bench. He's even spoken up. After the Vols struggled a bit in defeating ETSU last month, Negedu implored them to play harder and reminded them that every chance to take the court is a precious opportunity.
"He said he would die to be out there, but he can't," associate head coach Tony Jones said. "So when he sees his team not playing at 100 percent efficiency and not giving 100 percent effort, it's disappointing to him. He said, `Please don't disappoint me because we're all family and we've got the opportunity to do something special here.'"
Tennessee's players certainly haven't forgotten Negedu, either.
This season, the team added a circular patch to its uniforms with a white `E' surrounded by orange, just over the American flag on the left side. The patch isn't far from their hearts, and neither is Negedu.
"Each and every player loves what he brought to the table and loves him as an individual," Jones said.
Negedu is just thankful to have another opportunity at life, one that many who go into sudden cardiac arrest don't receive.
"There's millions of people that never have the opportunity that I have right now," Negedu said. "There's too many people who wish they had this opportunity that I'm getting right now. I just have to make the right decision and make a good choice about it. I think I'm going to be fine."
