Photo: Instagram
It happened in the blink of an eye.
By Rebecca Jane Stokes — Written on Jul 09, 2019
Imagine knowing exactly what you wanted to do when you grew-up. Imagine having a path set out before you, not free of challenges, but one that was clear, and one that you were committed to pursuing for the rest of your professional life. While this might be a tough scenario for many of us to conjure, for professional athletes it's very often the reality.
Knowing that, I want you to now imagine achieving that goal after decades of hard work and, in the blink of an eye, having it all potentially taken away from you forever. Pretty terrifying, right? That's exactly what happened to football player Kendrick Norton last week when he was in a terrible car accident. Here's what we know about how he's doing, and what the future holds. Who is Kendrick Norton?
1. The News
You have to be big into football to know the name Kendrick Norton, but this defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins was doing everything in his power to change all that and make himself an NFL legend. That is, he was doing everything in his power to climb the league's ranks until a horrific car crash in Miami on Thursday derailed his plans and dashed his hopes.
After the car crash, Kendrick Norton was forced to have his arm amputated. Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Alex Camacho alleges that Norton, 22, was driving his truck, a Ford F250, when he plowed into a barrier made of concrete on State Road in the Miami area. His car flipped on impact and was found upside down when rescuers arrived on the scene.
2. His Status
After the crash, first responders including the crew from the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, raced to the scene to provide whatever aid they could to the injured football player. They had no idea what they were in for when they were on their way to the site of the crash, and when they arrived they discovered that Norton had severe injuries to his left arm. They took him immediately to Jackson Memorial Hospital.
"With sadness, I can confirm that Kendrick Norton was in a car accident last night and suffered multiple injuries, including the amputation of his arm," said his agent Malki Kawa. "We ask that you continue to pray for him," she also added. While Norton is still being treated in the Florida hospital, his injuries, though serious, are thankfully, not reported to be threatening to his life.
3. The Other Driver
Norton was not the only person involved in this accident. There was, according the reports coming from the Florida Highway Patrol, a second vehicle that was directly involved in the horrible accident. For obvious reasons, the authorities aren't revealing much info about this second driver but we do know that they were behind the wheel of a 2015 Maserati and that they walked away from the scene without a scratch.
Those closest to Norton have been making statements of their own after learning of the news, and that includes the team that Norton plays for, the Dolphins. "We were made aware this morning of a serious car accident involving Kendrick Norton," the team shared in a statement they released soon after news of the crash broke. "Our thoughts and prayers are with Kendrick and his family during this time."
4. His Coach's Words
Of course, while Norton might be a serious athlete with the NFL now, it wasn't always that way. Along the path to his success he had countless other figures who helped him prepare to achieve his greatest dream. One of those figures, was his coach at the University of Miami, Manny Diaz, who had a special message for Norton that he was willing to share with the world on Twitter.
"The U family is praying for Kendrick, his family and the medical professionals helping him this morning," he tweeted, followed by a series of prayer-hand emojis. It's clear that while Norton may no longer play for the University, he is still someone they remember fondly. This is going to be an awful time for the guy. It's good to know that the sport he's dedicated his life to won't turn their backs on him.
5. NFL
For those of you curious about Norton's professional path, he was picked in the 7th round by the Carolina Panthers in the 2018 NFL draft. in December of 2018, Norton moved from the Panters to play for the Dolphins on their practice squad. This season, he was expected to work for a spot on the team's roster.
Right now the last thing Norton should be doing is worrying about what comes next for him, but it's got to be weighing heavily on his mind. Norton is right-handed, but losing his left hand could make playing the game he loves impossible going forward. That said, many incredible athletes have overcome equally scary odds and found success in other ways. Hopefully that's what happens here for Norton too.
The NFL will be covering all of Kendrick Norton's medical bills.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime.