Help Art Hains during his recovery from West Nile

Art Hains has been the behind many of southwest Missouri’s greatest sporting moments throughout his hall-of-fame broadcasting career.

The longtime Voice of the Bears of Missouri State University athletics has called everything from NCAA Tournaments, FCS Playoff games and more. He’s also been a fixture in the local and state wide through his afternoon radio show Sports Talk for over 2 decades. He also serves as the game day host for his beloved Kansas City Chiefs.

More that anything else, Art has been a role model to those in the community, the best friend to so many and one of the greatest people those in the Ozarks have ever come across.

On September 17, Art stood in the press box and called Missouri State football’s game at Arkansas when his started to experience pain in his legs. Two nights later, Hains had lost mobility in his legs and was admitted to CoxHealth in Springfield. In the days after, he was diagnosed with West Nile, the mosquito-borne disease that can cause serious illness. In Hains’ case, doctors believe West Nile has caused a cut flaccid paralysis.

Art has since been moved to University of Kansas Medical Center where he has received attention around the clock. While he hasn’t been able to walk or use his arms or legs, he has been able to wiggle his fingers and grasp onto finger.

The next step in Hains’ process, and to hopefully get him back on his feet, appears to lie at the Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, where his family hopes he can be moved by the middle of the week October 9-15. The hospital is one of 3 accredited long-term acute care hospitals that has a combined/specialty in spinal cord rehab. Representatives from Madonna met with the Hains family and said they would accept Art. The hospital has seen conditions like Art’s and helped to get people their lives back.

With the blessing from the Hains family - his wife Lisa, his son Chris and his daughter Kathleen - I have launched this GoFundMe to support Art and his battle back.

The family is thankful for the countless number of prayers and love it has received in recent weeks. Please join me and all sport fans and friends to support Art and his family during his recovery.

Prayers for Art.

Thank you!

Rob Fulp