How Kenny Anderson battled back to lead Fisk hoops a year after a stroke almost killed him

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The stroke occurred shortly after his first season as head coach Fisk ended
His dog may have saved his life
Assistant coaches, administrators and Fisk players rallied around him and his recovery

When his wife didn’t answer the phone, Kenny Anderson panicked and called out to his teenage daughter, “Tiana! Tiana! “Reading: kenny andersonAnderson started to lose vision in his right eye as his face drooped. In a slurred voice, Anderson continued to call his daughter, but her bedroom door was closed. Through a recent health class, Iana Anderson learned what was going on, she calmly told her father to lie down and call 911: “I need an ambulance right away. My father is having a stroke. Anderson’s wife, Natasha, rushed home from the gym and drove an ambulance to the hospital on February 23 of last year.Several doctors – including a neurologist, a stroke specialist and a cardiologist – were outside waiting. “They pulled him out, I walked up to him and I could see the droop on his right side. His eyes are closed. And he’s been trying to talk to me, but it’s been very awkward,” said Natasha Anderson. She understood one thing he said: “Will I be okay? The former NBA All-Star, who just finished his first season as head basketball coach at Fisk University, is about to start a fight. A fight to coach again. Another fight battle to continue mentoring the young men he loved in that first season.Anderson, 49, knows how to fight.He has overcome other obstacles in his life and career. .

Pressure yourself

Sexually abused as a boy, Anderson grew up in Queens, New York, with a drug-addicted mother. at Georgia Tech. That led to 14 years in the NBA, where he was sometimes compared to superstar point guards like Magic Johnson.However, his struggles continued: Anderson filed for bankruptcy in 2005, had 7 children by 4 women, and lost his job as a high school coach in Florida after he was arrested for a DUI on 2013. in North Nashville in 2018, ready to start a new chapter and become a mentor. “I want to see African-American men get the same opportunity that I did,” he told The Tennessean. Anderson’s team is full of players recruited by other people. He puts a lot of pressure on himself to succeed as a coach and support those players. He kept pace in games, sometimes attacking officials and committing four technical fouls in his first season.Anderson lives alone on campus, as his wife and two of their teenagers stay in Florida so the kids can finish high school. “He’s stressed out because he’s a passionate and dedicated person, ‘ said wife Natasha Anderson. “He goes, goes, goes, goes, and he doesn’t take care of himself.” Shortly after the season ended, Anderson’s wife called on Friday, stressed out about raising the teens alone. Anderson, exhausted himself, was on the plane back to Florida that night. He had a stroke the next day.

‘God, I’m not done yet’

Anderson woke up in the ICU at Memorial Hospital in Pembroke Pines, Florida, with his wife and two children by his side. the most frustrating part about the thought of dying: Anderson hates he might not be able to continue coaching at Fisk. “Boom, I’m here, and thank you, God. Then suddenly it will be taken away from me? God, I’m not done yet,” he said, his voice trembling. “I haven’t even started. Let these young men feel what Kenny Anderson is all about. Not just a basketball player, but a person who cares. ”Anderson survived the critical first 48 hours in the ICU. Then, with a renewed sense of mission to serve his family and his players, he set to work. there every step of the way, asking questions, offering solutions, coaxing her husband to work part-time. “You feel impatient. Why didn’t that happen today? Why did this take two weeks? ” she said.Read more: who is the shortest nba player right now | Top Q&A “Well, it takes six months to a year to heal, and then you start to be a little more accepting and a little more patient. You just have to trust the process. That comes with time. “And lots of tears. Natasha Anderson and her children, regular in therapy, cried often, alone and together, during the difficult times watching him struggle to get better.

Wrong name, Coach

With the full support of the Fisk board of directors and the players, Anderson returned to the bench in the fall, just six months after suffering a stroke. He usually carries flashcards on game days to memorize certain strategies he wants to execute. , from recruiting to running practice,” says Fisk’s assistant basketball coach, Ty Garth, 40. Everyone was on the same page so Kenny could be Kenny,” said Garth. “At that point, we realized it was bigger than basketball.” Keeper Marcus Summerville said Anderson will sometimes call players the wrong name. will make sure you are good. It never lets you down.”Shortly after Christmas, players and coaches witnessed Anderson’s transformation. He became more energetic, mentally sharper. “He has regained his pomp,” said Garth with a laugh. “From seeing him on the bench as the season goes on, I can tell he is getting more and more involved in coaching. He relies a lot less on his assistants,” said Glover. Anderson still feels tired and sometimes still can’t find the right words. “And that can be frustrating for me.” But he says the stroke made him a much better listener. But now he focuses on what others have to say. And that has resulted in better understanding and connection. “Those who are heard feel more valued and heard. And that’s really it,” says Anderson. Reach Brad Schmitt at [email protected] or 615-259-8384 or on Twitter @bradschmitt. Read more: MattyB Dating Now? | Top Q&A