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Back on October 29th in the Bears game against the Saints, Chicago tight end Zach Miller went up for a pass in the end zone, caught the ball and landed in just about the most grisly fashion imaginable.
The following day it was reported that Miller’s leg injury was so horrific that he was actually in danger of losing his leg if were not for some fast action on the parts of the trainers and doctors who tended to him in the immediate aftermath.
After spending eight days at the University Medical Center in New Orleans, Miller issued a statement thanking the medical staffs of both the Bears and the hospital, as well as the surgeons who repaired the severe artery damage he suffered in his left leg.
Now, a little over a month later, Miller appeared in an interview with Bears play-by-play announcer Jeff Joniak that was published on Friday where he discussed the injury.
“I remember coming over and I remember getting one and when I secured it, I felt my leg pop,” explained Miller. “I wasn’t sure that it was that bad. I knew I had an injury. But in my mind, it was just ‘’hold onto the ball as long as you can.’ Sitting there on the ground, I remember taking and setting it down. I wasn’t in pain, I was actually calm.”
However, Miller wasn’t quite as calm when he later told the doctor, after realizing how bad it was, “Save my leg, please.”
After the surgery, Miller says that his biggest inspiration, out of the many well-wishers he had, was a high school student named Alex Ruiz who suffered a similar injury playing football and did end up losing his leg.
“He’s a special kid — he gets me through every day,” admits Miller.
Grab yourself a tissue and watch the entire interview below…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zONpBMFPc1g
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