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| Collapse leaves Cowboys staffer paralyzed | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 4 2009, 01:50 PM (126 Views) | |
| DizzG | May 4 2009, 01:50 PM Post #1 |
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Do you swallow?
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Collapse leaves Cowboys staffer paralyzed By Tom Orsborn- Express-News IRVING — A Dallas Cowboys staffer is permanently paralyzed from the waist down after his spine was severed during the collapse of the team's indoor practice facility. Scouting assistant Rich Behm, 33, was in stable condition Sunday at Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital after surgery to stabilize a fracture to his thoracic spine, the team announced. Meanwhile, industry experts are speculating that structural problems might have contributed to the steel-frame-supported facility coming down Saturday during a thunderstorm that spawned winds of more than 60 mph. The Dallas Morning News reported on its Web site Sunday night that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration was investigating the accident. “There isn't any reason a frame of that sort wouldn't retain its rigidity in 60 mile-per-hour winds,” said Dan Fraioli, president of New York-based Air Structures American Technologies, which has built indoor complexes for several NFL teams. “You have to look at whether the proper materials were used for building the frame and whether it was assembled properly,” Fraioli added. Two other Cowboys staffers, including special teams coach Joe DeCamillis, remain hospitalized after Saturday's terrifying accident. DeCamillis, 43, retained movement of his arms and legs after suffering a fracture of one of his cervical vertebrae. He's stable at Parkland, awaiting surgery today. “He's doing as well as could be expected,” DeCamillis' father-in-law, former NFL coach Dan Reeves, said in a phone interview. Reeves said it's unclear whether DeCamillis, who is in his first year with the Cowboys, would return this season. “We're going to take it one day at a time,” Reeves said. “Those things will take care of themselves.” Assistant athletic trainer Greg Gaither, 35, underwent surgery to repair fractures to the tibia and fibula in his right leg Saturday night. He's expected to be released soon from Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said team owner Jerry Jones, who was at the Kentucky Derby when the accident happened, spent “considerable time” visiting his injured employees. On Sunday morning, a grim-faced Jones got his first look at the twisted wreckage, surveying the damage while his hands were tucked deep into the pockets of his blue jeans. He arrived and left without commenting to reporters. “To the Behm family, we extend our love, comfort and the full support of every person and resource within the organization,” Jones said in a statement. “Rich is a courageous member of our family and someone for whom we care deeply. We ask all friends and fans of the team to join us in embracing him and his family with their thoughts and prayers at this difficult time. “As we share concern for everyone who was touched by this accident, we also extend our heartfelt and best wishes to Coach Joe DeCamillis and his family as they prepare for Joe's surgery. We're grateful Greg Gaither's surgery was successful, and we feel blessed others walked away from this accident.” Roughly 70 people, including 27 players participating in rookie minicamp, were in the structure when the storm struck. The 85-foot-tall structure, covered in synthetic fabric, was built for roughly $2 million in 2003 by Summit Structures LLC of Allentown, Pa., a division of Cover-All Building Systems of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Indoor practice facilities used by Texas A&M, the University of New Mexico and the NFL's New England Patriots were also built by Summit. Summit's history isn't without failure. In December 2006, a Pennsylvania court ruled that Summit was negligent in the design and construction of a membrane-covered warehouse for the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority that collapsed in 2003 after a major snowstorm. Nathan Stobbe, president and CEO of Cover-All Building Systems, did not immediately return phone messages left at his home. Texas A&M athletic director Bill Byrne indicated he's confident the school's Summit-built structure is sound. “It was put to the test this past fall when Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Gulf Coast,” Byrne said. But Byrne and Scott Dotson, New Mexico's associate athletic director/facilities, said the accident in Irving would cause them to evaluate their policy for practicing in bad weather. “What happened to the Cowboys is definitely a concern,” Dotson said. “I was very shocked.” |
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| JudynTX | May 4 2009, 02:23 PM Post #2 |
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Wine, it's what's for dinner!
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Dude! That's just awful, it could have been worse. They could have gotten electricuted!
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| Eagles to the Superbowl!!!! | |
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| 30kmillionaire | May 4 2009, 06:39 PM Post #3 |
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horrible news. those storms were crazy. |
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| SpursStalker | May 5 2009, 05:42 PM Post #4 |
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Ok let me get this right ... It withstood the winds of IKE but collapsed with 60mph winds? Tragic accident, none the less. |
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1:28 PM Jul 11
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Dude! That's just awful, it could have been worse. They could have gotten electricuted!
1:28 PM Jul 11