For Rogers and Suggs, living each day is about believing that he'll walk again. "I hope and pray that in the near future, I'll get my arms back, and then hopefully my legs," Rogers says. "If I had to walk with a cane or something, that'd be fine. I just want to be able to walk again."
Chris Webber, who played against Rogers in the NBA and now works as an analyst for Turner Sports, visited Rogers almost a year ago. "When I first heard what happened to him, I was shocked, scared and confused," Webber says. "But after I saw him, I was ashamed that I'd thought for one second that he'd be weak. When I left his house, I shed tears, because he'd encouraged me. He's one of the strongest people I know." Webber also spoke of how Rogers' condition "opened his eyes" to the potential benefits of stem cell research in the U.S., which he'd previously opposed but now supports.
When asked whether she'd ever thought about leaving Rogers, Suggs shakes her head. "I am still so in love with Rodney," Suggs says. "I'll never leave him." She pauses, smiles and adds, "And he better not leave me."And on days when the lows exceed the highs, Suggs is there, talking and laughing with him. "I tell him that that was the past," Suggs says. "'You're blessed to be here, so let's concentrate on what we have. Let's live life. You can eat, you can go out, you can do a lot of things. … You just can't do the things you want to do.' Once he gets used to that, he'll be fine."
Anna Katherine Cleamons, ESPN
This is very sad. He was one of my favorites when he was on the team back in the day. It's another example to not take life for granted, and to be thankful for what you do have. Many people are caught up on what they do not have, but they can walk, talk, hear and see. Some people would give everything just for what we consider everyday natural functions. For Rodney to have been an athlete and make his living in the NBA, to not being able to move below the neck down his heartbreaking. I couldn't imagine that, so I have to commend him for being strong. Obviously there are times when it gets to him, but he keeps fighting and tries to make the most of it. No matter how likely or unlikely it is for him to regain feeling and mobility, I hope and pray that he will.
Thankfully, it looks like his fiancee is totally committed to him. That is a very tough situation to be in, and I'm willing to bet that many would not make the same decision.
