Khaliq Gant, a sophomore guard for the Cornell Big Red, finally returned home to begin an extensive rehabilitation program following a severe spinal injury suffered in practice on Jan. 24.
Gant, a native of Norcross, Georgia, collided with several teammates in a scramble for a loose ball during a practice session at Newman Arena, dislocating two vertebrae in the process. Gant was temporarily immobile and was airlifted from Ithaca to Arnot Ogden Medical Center in nearby Elmira, New York.
On Jan. 27 he underwent a seven-hour operation to fuse and secure the dislocated C4 and C5 vertebrae. In a statement released through the University, Gant's father, Dean, stated that "the operation went well."
While he had yet to exhibit any significant physical movement, Gant had regained feeling in his extremities. The doctors who performed the procedure were confident that with the surgery and physical therapy, Gant will make a full recovery. While he may never play basketball again, both Gant and his family remained optimistic about the prospects for his recovery.
Gant will undergo rehabilitation at Atlanta's renowned Shepherd Spinal Center near his hometown of Norcross, the same center in which Travis Roy, a former hockey player for the Boston University Terriers, underwent treatment after being paralyzed in his first college hockey game in 1995.
Gant has spoken with several athletes who found themselves in his position -players with promising athletic careers cut tragically short by fluke plays. He has received support from Roy, now a quadriplegic who travels the country giving motivational speeches, and Adam Taliaferro, a former football player for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Taliaferro injured his neck in a game in September of 2000 and exceeded all medical expectations when he regained the ability to walk in less than a year. Both athletes gave Gant encouraging words as he begins his rehabilitation efforts.
While the recovery process will take a minimum of several months, Gant's father commented through Cornell that "his spirits have been high and he's looking forward to rehabilitation." His teammates, who visited him in Elmira, reiterated that positive sentiment. Senior forward Ryan Rourke, who visited Gant last Wednesday, stated that he's "still cracking jokes" and "is planning on coming back full strength."
At the insistence of Gant and his family, the Big Red voted to play its scheduled game against the Columbia Lions the day after his surgery. Gant's teammates, with #21 embroidered on their jerseys in his honor, went on to blow out the Lions, 81-59.
They followed up that victory with a 63-47 win over the Dartmouth Big Green and a 79-77 win over the Harvard Crimson. Inspired by their injured teammate, the Big Red is now tied with the Crimson and the Princeton Tigers for second place in the Ivy League with a 4-2 record. The team has dedicated the rest of its season to the 6'3" guard, and this tribute has been reflected in their efforts on the court.
Gant, who had appeared in all 17 games for the Big Red before his injury, was averaging 2.2 points and 1.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game. He was a part-time starter and key role player during his tenure at Cornell.
Gant played prep school basketball at Tabor Academy in Marion, Mass., where he was selected as a Boston All-Metro player and a high honorable mention All-American. Well-wishes can be sent to Khaliq and his family at http://cornellbigred.collegesports.com/ot/corn-gant-wishes.html or at his temporary rehab residence: Khaliq Gant c/o the Shepherd Center, 2020 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta, Georgia, 30309-1402.
