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Breman Blue Devils QB returns to school for first time
A happy surprise and welcome update from Bremen. For the first time since medics carried him off the field, Bremen High quarterback Carson Kimball returned to the home of the Blue Devils.
BREMAEN, Ga. - For the first time since paramedics carried him off the field following a severe spinal injury, Bremen High School Quarterback Carson Kimball returned to the football field for Senior Night.
Under the Friday night lights, Kimball joined his teammates for the special ceremony honoring senior players ahead of the Blue Devils game against the Haralson County Rebels.
Kimball's arrival was a surprise to his teammates and the community that has supported him ever since he received a severe spinal cord injury from a tackle during a game on Aug.30.
Medics rushed Kimball to Grady Memorial Hospital, where doctors later performed emergency surgery to replace a vertebra in his neck with titanium. He is currently recovering at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta.
"It's definitely been a battle. I wouldn't have imagined 49 days ago that I would be here at this point," Carson Kimball told FOX 5.
Bremen High School Quarterback Carson Kimball returns to the football field for Senior Night on Oct. 25, 2024.
Within the last week, Kimball began to feel hopeful he could join his teammates at Senior Night. Before being permitted to leave Shepherd, Carson and his family had to pass a series of tests and checks for Carson's safety.
"I know that one of his personal goals has been to be here for Senior Night, and it fills my heart to know he’s been able to pull that off," Shannon Christian, Superintendent of Bremen City Schools, said.
Carson's return was equally meaningful to his teammates and the Bremen community, which has supported the quarterback since his injury.
"You wonder why people move to a small community. You wonder why people move somewhere like Bremen. It's because of what happens right here. You can’t imagine the outpouring of support this kid has received from the community. Just phenomenal. Phenomenal. We’re humbled by it, and we appreciate it so much. It means everything," Randy Kimball, Carson's father, told FOX 5.
"People are going in droves to see Carson in Atlanta. Most of them go in thinking they are going to try to inspire him. To a person, they walk away inspired because of his faith, his determination, and his attitude. It's just simply amazing," Superintendent Christian said.
While those in Bremen have been thinking of Carson, Carson has been thinking of them. The senior is dedicating his road to recovery to the community that has supported him from the very beginning. An inspiration to anyone he meets, Carson has cut his projected timeline to walking again from two years to six months, according to his father.
"All things go well; he should be on his feet in another four to six months," Randy Kimball said.
Bremen High School Quarterback Carson Kimball returns to the football field for Senior Night on Oct. 25, 2024. (FOX 5)
Despite a miraculous recovery in the works, it isn’t Carson's physical progress that inspires those around him; it's his unwavering spirit and selflessness.
"I didn’t wish to be an example for others... but that’s the role that I was given. So, I’m going to try to use that to the best of my ability to help others realize that there’s a lot going on in life but there’s a lot to be grateful for too," Carson said.
Carson returned to the Shepherd Center shortly after kickoff. His father says he'll be in Bremen again to receive his diploma and graduate with his classmates.