Jeannette football player taken to hospital for game injury was diagnosed with cancer
JEANNETTE, Pa. —
Jeannette High School junior Dane Simmons has played football for six years.
Despite his experience, no amount of time on the field could have prepared the 16-year-old for what happened at the season opener on Aug .28.
“I remember the ball getting snapped and me releasing and just falling to the floor. Then I don’t really remember what happened after that,” Simmons told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Reporter Jordan Cioppa.
Simmons was carried off the field halfway through the first quarter and rushed to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh with what Jeannette Head Coach Thomas Paulone Jr. said was a suspected head and spinal injury.
“Anytime a stretcher comes out, I think that the whole stadium stops, including, you know, us as coaches; you know, we care about our players first as people,” Paulone said. “And we just want to make sure that he was okay first and foremost.”
While Simmons was cleared of injuries, his test results led doctors to a shocking discovery.
He was diagnosed with B-Cell Leukemia.
“It was crazy. Especially because I’m not supposed to be at the hospital for cancer; I’m supposed to be there for a football injury. So, knowing that they found that because of what happened is crazy to me,” Simmons said.
“I think we saw a change in him this summer. He was sick and struggling with this for a while. And as coaches, we feel bad about that. But you never think that one of your players has leukemia,” the coach said.
Simmons spent the last several days at Children’s Hospital while undergoing chemotherapy.
Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt, who happened to be at the hospital, paid Simmons a visit.
Provided
Dane Simmons with T.J. Watt
Simmons returned home from the hospital on Tuesday. The Jayhawks football practice ended with a special reunion when Simmons surprised his teammates.
“It was amazing. I’ve had a lot of them text and reach out to me. All of them reached out to me,” Simmons said. “And just being able to see them again, I know, made them feel good and made me feel really good.”
Simmons is out for the rest of the season while he focuses on getting better. He said he is hopeful he will be back in his #60 jersey for his senior season.
Until then, his teammates are wearing the number for him on their helmets.
“I’ve gotten a lot of love online from everybody,” Simmons said. “…And even people I don’t know reaching out. So, it’s crazy how my story can make an impact on people that even I don’t know.”
Simmons’ mom said the doctors anticipate his treatment will last 2.5 years.
A GoFundMe was started to help cover the cost of medical bills and other related expenses.