COLUMBIA, S.C. — A High School Football Player’s Remarkable Comeback
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
This year has been a rollercoaster for Drevon Dopson, a player from Brookland Cayce High School’s football team. After facing the unthinkable — emergency surgery due to ulcerative colitis — Drevon has not only bounced back but is also grateful for every moment he gets to play the sport he loves.
From Hospital Bed to Football Field
It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to be a teenager grappling with a severe health crisis. Drevon’s mother, Octivious Dopson, recalls the harrowing time when his health deteriorated. “What I saw in the hospital, it was frightening,” she expressed. Drevon himself noticed something was off, saying, “I realized that I was getting tired quicker.”
His condition, ulcerative colitis, is an inflammatory disease that affects the large intestine and is most commonly seen in young adults between the ages of 15 and 30. “I noticed he was losing weight. He doesn’t look the same,” remarked Rusty Charpia, the head football coach at Brookland Cayce High School.
The Turning Point
Despite feeling off, Drevon was determined to participate in summer football camps. Things took a serious turn after attending a Mercer camp in July. After feeling unwell, he was rushed to the hospital where doctors soon realized the crisis was severe. “He collapsed in his hospital room, and that’s when we knew we had to act fast,” said Octivious. The doctors performed emergency surgery that removed 90% of his large intestine, and he spent ten long days in the hospital connected to feeding tubes and coping with the aftermath of having a colostomy bag.
“It was rough, man. It was rough seeing him go through it,” shared his father, Andre Dopson. As Drevon lay in the hospital, he didn’t know if he would ever step back onto the football field. “At first, I thought I wasn’t going to be able to play again,” he admitted.
A Miraculous Recovery
However, the story took a dramatic turn. “The doctors were amazed,” Octivious stated. They informed her that Drevon was healing at an unusually fast pace, which typically takes a year for recovery, but he was ready to return to the field in just two months.
Getting back into football was no easy task. Wearing protective gear and with his colostomy bag still in place, Drevon eased back into practice. “He also had his flack jacket on,” noted Allen Knotts, a board member for Lexington School District Two and assistant coach at Brookland Cayce.
Returning to the Game
In September, Drevon shocked everyone when he returned to the field. “My first game back, I was kind of nervous,” he recalled. Yet, despite his jitters, he quickly found his rhythm and played a key role in the victory. Coach Charpia reflected, “I think it’s the first game we won. We had a rough year to start with.”
Gratitude and Family Bonds
Now, as Drevon and his family look back on this challenging journey, they feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. “I’m thankful to God…He’s still got me here,” said Drevon, clearly relieved and optimistic. His father added, “God has blessed me, and he’s blessed my son as well.”
As the Thanksgiving season approaches, the Dopson family feels even more blessed. Octivious shared, “To be able to celebrate Thanksgiving with the family, with everybody together…It’s just a blessing from the grace of God.”
Looking Ahead
Drevon’s journey isn’t over just yet. His colostomy bag is scheduled to be removed in December, and he’s on track to be 100% healthy by the time he enters his senior year. The resilience and tenacity shown by Drevon serve as a reminder that with determination and support from loved ones, even the hardest hurdles can be overcome.
