Coach Blake Bryant, "Winners don't quit!"

Blake “Coach” Bryant

955 Axis Cir.

Fredericksburg, TX 78625

(512) [phone redacted]

[email redacted]il

When Coach Bryant ran onto the football field at Westlake High School for the last time - he never dreamed it would be the end of life as he knew it. Much of what he taught to all his students, teaching at Round Rock High School, Smithville High School, Liberty Hill High School, and Westlake High School he’s now having to practice himself, “Never give up”

Blake Bryant, known by the vast majority of us as “Coach” began fighting an unknown infection about the time we heard the word, “Covid”. Like Covid, this infection has caused him continual fear of the unknown.

He’s been in and out of the hospital fighting infection continuously over the past three years, to date he’s lost a foot and is currently fighting to keep his leg.

2019, surgery after surgery removing toes, one toe at a time. This infection started with a blister on the bottom of his big toe, quickly the infection went into the bone and began taking over the toes. The big toe was amputated, working its way to the second toe, then the third and I’m sure you’re thinking what I myself thought too, no, Coach is not diabetic.

2020, the year began with him hospitalized, uncontrolled fever, and antibiotics intravenously, this had become a routine at this point. The third week of Jan. 2020 an infection claimed what was left of his foot, the foot had to go, the foot was amputated.

This coach is a man who loves sports and U.S. history. Coach chose his career as a teacher and a coach, this was what he did for 29 years. Sports made it necessary in early 2000 for double knee replacement. He said he went through these replacements with a breeze and didn't have any problems. However, soon after his foot was amputated the infection quickly found a new place to attach and attack, his knee. Four times, going through major knee surgery to clean out the infection and replace hardware, he doesn’t want to lose his leg. Each time is a lengthy procedure, opening up the leg starting 12 inches above the knee, 12 inches below the knee, and removing the hardware. Cleaning infection out of the leg, placing a spacer where the knee will be put back in place once the leg is healthy enough to do so. This writing finds him in the middle of the fourth round of the painstaking fight to save the leg. He was told by the orthopedic surgeon this is the last attempt.

Coach was just discharged from the hospital after being admitted on Dec. 9, 2021. Prayer, prayers he needs.

I’ve had the honor of meeting this big guy when assigned to be his physical therapist. I’ve seen him struggle with more than one man deserves. I decided to reach out and explain what he’s going through, maybe together we can lessen his worries and restore some hope.