When Lester Schmitz heard the horrible news, he and a few family members immediately jumped in the car and started the nearly 700-mile ride down to Oklahoma City from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Lester’s brother, Leo, was injured badly in Saturday’s tragedy in Stillwater, and is now in critical condition at OU Medical Center.
One of the best ways they know how, the Thunder and its players stepped in on Monday to lend a hand Schmitz family and others just like them, who are sitting patiently by hospital beds and waiting rooms for any sign of good news.
Nick Collison, Anthony Morrow, Andre Roberson, Mitch McGary and Cameron Payne all met with the Schmitz’s and other families at the OU Medical Center - shaking hands, signing autographs and taking pictures with visitors and staffers.
More importantly, however, they doled out words of support and encouragement to the family members, and also to Hudson Haws, a football player from Bethany High School who was paralyzed below the waist after breaking three vertebrae in a football game on Friday. Messages of resilience, taking each challenge head on and trusting the process of recovery were all welcomed by family members who needed to hear some positive words.
Across the street at OU Children’s Hospital, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Kyle Singler and Enes Kanter met with two children who were injured in the incident, bringing a smile to their day as well. The visit from the players was also a morale boost not just to the families and victims but also the doctors, nurses and staff on hand who spend every day at work trying to save lives.
“A lot of times when patients or their families are dwelling on the negatives of what could potentially happen, these events help shift that and let them focus on other things for a little bit and allow them to escape the reality they’re sitting in,” said Attending Trauma Surgeon Jason Lees.
For all of the players, the experience was also one they’ll certainly carry with them due to the toughness, resilience and perseverance shown by the families.
“It was an eye-opener for sure,” Roberson explained. “It’s a refresher that life is bigger than basketball.”
“It makes me appreciate my family, my teammates and friends even more,” Morrow said. “To see a parent or a grandparent stay strong through this type of tragedy is something special.”
“It’s crazy how tough they are,” Payne said. “They’re trying to smile through every adversity they get hit with. They’re keeping their heads up.”
While the road to recovery is still going to be a long and arduous one for the victims and their families over the coming weeks, months and years, the Thunder players ensured that they all felt cared for and appreciated. While the respite from the difficult reality that these families face was just for the afternoon on Monday, the long-term impact will have staying power.
“I love having all the pictures with all the guys because I’m hoping that one of these days my brother will wake up and I can show him the support that was here when he was here,” Schmitz said.