Missouri Football Team Rallies Around Freshman Needing Heart
When 18-year-old DJ Jones needed a heart transplant, his Missouri Tigers family showed him he's not facing this fight alone. The freshman's teammates dedicated their upset win over ranked Florida to their brother waiting at Mayo Clinic.
Missouri freshman offensive lineman Johnnie "DJ" Jones went from preparing for his first college football season to waiting for a heart transplant, but his team is making sure he knows they're with him every step of the way.
The 18-year-old is currently at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, after doctors discovered a serious heart condition during routine freshman testing this summer. What started as monitoring by Missouri's medical staff quickly escalated when they didn't see the improvement they hoped for.
Coach Eli Drinkwitz fought back tears during a Tuesday press conference as he shared that Jones is now on the transplant list. "He does need help in a hurry," Drinkwitz told reporters and fans.
But Jones isn't going through this alone. His teammates carried him with them onto the field Saturday when they upset then-No. 8 Florida 45-17.
Immediately after the victory, Drinkwitz grabbed the microphone with one message: "I want to give a shoutout to Johnnie Jones. DJ, we love you, man. We're praying for you."
Why This Inspires
Jones was one of the nation's top offensive line recruits from Venice High School in Florida last year. He had his whole college career ahead of him when testing revealed something was wrong with his heart.
The outpouring of support shows what happens when a team becomes a family. Drinkwitz said he knows Jones was watching the Florida game from his hospital bed, and the coach made sure his player saw the love coming back to him.
The Tigers' medical staff caught the condition early through routine testing that all freshmen undergo. Their quick action and thorough follow-up got Jones to specialists who could diagnose the severity and get him on the transplant list.
Now the entire Missouri community is mobilizing. Drinkwitz publicly asked Tigers fans to pray for Jones and spread awareness about his urgent need for a donor heart.
An 18-year-old freshman is facing the fight of his life, but he's got tens of thousands of Tiger fans fighting right beside him.
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Based on reporting by Google News - Sports
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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