Hefney’s injury reminds coach of own dark chapter
Kavis Reed, understandably, believed the memories were gone. How could he not? It has been 16 years since his career ended at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, hit from behind by a Hamilton player — the whiplash herniating the C4 and C5 discs in his neck. Reed was only 27, his wife pregnant at the time.
And then it happened, on Oct. 1 in Ottawa, to Alouettes cornerback Jonathan Hefney. Just like Reed, it occurred early in the game, Hefney lowering his head to tackle Patrick Lavoie. The force of the helmet- to- helmet contact rendered Hefney, who fell face- first to the field, temporarily unconscious with a concussion and a severe complex nerve injury to his neck.
“The amazing thing is I was right in line, near the edge of the bench area. I saw everything, almost step by step, happen. It took me into a very dark place,” Reed, the Als’ special- teams coordinator, said during an interview this week. "Seeing his reaction, I knew something immediately was wrong. “I didn’t want to see that again.” Reed, a cornerback, was in his fifth season with the Edmonton Eskimos when his promising career ended prematurely. He had 20 interceptions over that time, returning five for touchdowns. The previous season, he attended training camp with the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs and happily returned to the CFL after his release.
Reed figured if he could make it to 30, that would be a full and enriching career. The Eskimos lost the Grey Cup to Toronto in 1996 with Reed believing other opportunities would come. They never did.
Reed said everything seemed a little bit off on the day of his final game, his routine simply not right. A habitual early riser, he mysteriously overslept. All week, he had premonitions involving Ticats quarterback Danny McManus. “As I walked out of the locker, I felt like it was my last time walking out. I took in almost every inch of that locker, almost every minute of all the activities going on around me,” he explained.
“When I walked out on the field, it felt like that was it.”
On the Ticats’ first offensive play, McManus ran a naked bootleg. McManus had the option to run or pass, but rarely ran during his career. However, this time he did and Reed had him lined- up in his crosshairs, licking his chops in anticipation. This is what every defender dreams of — a clean shot at the quarterback. But Reed was hit from behind by a rookie he refuses, to this day, to identify. That’s Reed, all class and dignity.
Reed’s body gave out. He had no control over his legs and fell to the field in agony.
“You know how they say your life flashes before your eyes? It literally did. I had no movement from the waist down. I could move my head, but I had no control over anything else,” Reed said. “The fire I felt instantly, as if someone poured gasoline on my body. My nerves were so excited.”
Reed’s senses were heightened. He could hear conversations in the stands. The first person to reach him was legendary coach Ron Lancaster, asking if he was OK? Reed was unable to respond. As an Eskimos team doctor hovered over him, Reed’s voice returned. He begged for two things — make sure his wife was OK and permit him to walk off the field, with dignity and in control. Reed lay on the field for close to 30 minutes. The doctor acquiesced. Reed made it to the sideline before collapsing, the ambulance — delayed by a dead battery — finally transporting him to a hospital.
Reed remained home for a month, awaiting neck surgery. A biology major at Furman University, he aspired to become a doctor. But with his Saskatchewan- born wife pregnant, Reed knew he would soon have a family to support, so he accepted a job offer from an Edmonton- based research and development firm.
The following year, defensive guru Rich Stubler called, begging Reed to come to Toronto and install a defence. Stubler told him he could leave after four games, but Reed remained the entire season. Then he went to Ottawa and Hamilton as a defensive coordinator, back to Toronto, Saskatchewan, then Winnipeg before being named the Eskimos’ head coach in 2011.
Edmonton went 11- 7 that season, getting to within a game of the Grey Cup. But things would never again be so good. The Eskimos went 7- 11, then 4- 14. Edmonton won its final game that year, but two days later, Reed was released. He spent a year away from the game before the Als called.
Reed — proud, soft- spoken and compassionate — has made sure to speak with Hefney daily, trying to help him through this difficult time. Hefney visited Olympic Stadium this week and addressed the team, but faces months of therapy. He has been placed on the six- game injured list, his season over. At age 30, his career probably hangs in the balance.
“When you’re dealing with nerves, it’s such a frightening thing. Nerves only regenerate a certain length over a period of time. There’s nothing you can do rush it,” Reed explained. “The limitations you’re going to have, the pain, the burning and tingling sensation. And that’s going to change because the nerves are regenerating.”
Reed has preached patience to Hefney, imploring him to remain positive and not push matters. Hefney’s body will respond accordingly, Reed advised.
Hefney hasn’t asked Reed what the future holds. If he does, Reed probably will tell Hefney that only he can decide what the next move should involve.
“But I’ll tell him this — you have a lot of life to live. God only gave you one body,” Reed said, with the knowledge of someone who has walked in Hefney’s shoes. “Lots of people aren’t lucky enough to walk away from this game.”