Large crowd gathers at Pike County to pray; "doctors have done everything"
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
An estimated thousand or so people gathered Sunday evening to pray for Dylan Thomas on the same Pike County football stadium field onto which he collapsed Friday night.
The prayers likely got stronger throughout the night as word of a prognosis that had grown grim.
Nick Burgess, Thomas’s uncle, posted on Facebook Saturday night that the next 12 hours, meaning into Sunday, would offer an indication of Thomas’s condition.
“Things are not looking good at all. I can't even describe the pain I am feeling. we will know the outcome in 12 hours. Dylan Thomas is in very critical condition we will not know anything for another 12 hours. whether he will pull through or not as of right now his brain is still swelling even if he does pull through chances are he will not be the same.”
At 12:41 p.m. Sunday, he posted that “Nothing more can be done for Dylan Thomas it is all up to GOD and Dylan's fight to live at this point he still in very critical condition. Doctors have done everything they possibly can so please keep praying.”
The Pike County Journal-Reporter posted an extensive photo gallery of the vigil on its Facebook page.
The Pike County Times had a short video of people gathering on the field.
The team emerged from the fieldhouse in rows, players locking arms, to “Amazing Grace” over the loudspeaker.
WSB-TV posted on its website that it would have a report on its 11 p.m. newscast. WSB is available in Macon-Bibb’s Cox Cable on Channel 13.
Thomas reportedly told a teammate that he didn’t feel right shortly before collapsing.
Ironically, an Atlanta native playing for Tennessee State suffered a serious head injury Saturday in a game against Vanderbilt.
Christion Abercrombie remains in critical condition after suffering a head injury during an apparently routine play.
Head coach Rod Reed said Sunday morning on his regular radio show that “"It was just a football play. He was taking on a block and it wasn't anything malicious or dirty or anything like that. Just an unfortunate situation."
As of 9 p.m., there was no word on any change in Thomas’s condition.
A fund-raising page on Facebook started by Burgess had raised more than $18,000 of a $20,000 goal by 9 p.m. Sunday.