The NFL’s biggest comeback story happened before any games were even over on Sunday. Before the Chargers and Raiders kicked off, J’Ron Erby walked on to the field at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Erby is the 23-year-old Chargers intern who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in early August while he was out celebrating a friend’s birthday party in Pacific Beach. Erby suffered a skull fracture and brain trauma. Doctors were unsure if he would live and if he did, if he would ever make a full recovery.
But on Sunday, October 9 … three months and two days after the accident … Erby roamed the sidelines and said his recovery is well ahead of schedule.
Erby told NBC 7 that even he is somewhat surprised at how quickly his body has healed. He says he still has hearing loss in his left ear and his energy level ebbs and flows. Sometimes he has trouble remembering things.
“Like the other day,” said Erby,” I couldn’t remember the word for airplane. Simple things like that. But I’m getting better.”
Erby says he still has work to do but doctors have told him, if he progresses as he has been, he will be back to 100% healthy in a year. After that, would he be willing to come back to San Diego and continue his budding career with the Chargers?
“Absolutely,” Erby said with a smile that, had this been a night game, would have been enough to light up the entire stadium.
