Travis Frederick suffering from auto-immune disease

[lastcat3]

One of the Cowboys All-Pro OLinemen had been suffering from an injury that they thought might require surgery. Well today they announced that it is infact an auto immune disease called Guillan-Barre Syndrome. They say it is a disease that affects the nervous system. THe good news is that they say 70% of the people afflicted with it make a full recovery eventually. Not necessarily as a player but if he doesn't play football anymore at least there is a good chance he would still be able to live a normal life.

[NWebster]

What of other examples of a disease ending or possibly (all the best wishes for Travis's recovery) ending a career. Gene Brito jumps immediately to my mind.

[JohnTurney]

Maurice Stokes (NBA)
Lou Gehrig (MLB)

[JuggernautJ]

Jesse Sapolu came back from open heart surgery to play in his final season.
Open. Heart. Surgery.

[JohnTurney]

Tedy Bruschi suffered a debilitating stroke

[Ronfitch]

Brian Piccolo.

Doug Kotar's brain tumor was found weeks after retiring from the Giants in training camp in July of '81. He died 16 months later.

[NWebster]

Not sure why Ernie Davis didn't also immediately come to mind.

[JohnTurney]

Rolf Benirschke had near-fatal bout with ulcerative colitis and came back

[rhickok1109]

Not sure why Ernie Davis didn't also immediately come to mind.

I think the reason for me was that he never even started his NFL career. I was in Ohio, covering the Browns, through the whole Davis tragedy, so I'm certainly aware of it.