High school recruit suffers career ending stroke, yet school honors his scholarship offer.

[Elwood P Dowd]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/ncaa/02/03/clemson.commitment.lb.ap/

Clemson recruit given full athletic scholarship even though he will never play football again.

<snip>

Nicolopulos' parents, Craig and mother Ann, were told by doctors their son might not survive.

Nicolopulos did make it, assisted by surgery that removed part of his skull cap to relieve pressure on his brain. His father said it was stored in his abdomen and will eventually be reattached to his head.

Slowly, Nicolopulos has learned to walk. His speech has increased, although Craig acknowledged there are many long days of work ahead.

As happy as Nicolopulos was to sign with Clemson, he'll always be disappointed he won't be able to take the field as the Tigers. "It's a bit of a double-edged sword for him," Craig Nicolopulos said.

Immediately after word of Nicolopulos' condition reached the Tigers, Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips pledged to Swinney the players' scholarship would be honored and maintained.

<snip>

[Forkboy]

1. Sad story, but a classy move by Philips and Clemson.

"But I don't have doubt at all Jake Nicolopulos will make an impact at Clemson."

I'm betting he's right.

[madinmaryland]

2. Kicked and Recommended.

Thanks for the story.

[Auggie]

3. +1

Here's to a speedy recovery, too. Amazing that part of the skull cap is stored in the abdomen. I hadn't any idea that was done.

[joeybee12]

4. Nice to hear they did that for him....

...so sad, a stroke that young.

[PRETZEL]

5. I knew a young man a few years ago

from when he and I were involved in the same scout troop.

Great kid, Eagle Scout, great student, all around good young man.

Shortly after he graduated HS and was accepted into the Coast Guard Academy he was in an auto accident that left him clinically brain dead.

Before he ever stepped foot on campus, the CG honored his scholarship and awarded him an honorable discharge.

This may have been the pollicy but none the less, I thought it very nice.