Thirty-five percent. That’s how much visibility Kevon Paire has in his right eye after being injured at the beginning of the football season.
“When I first got hurt I was like I’m gonna get up and play again like go to the next play but then I realized blood was coming out of my eye. It was something serious.”
After Kevon was injured, he called out for his twin brother Ke’Sean and Ke’Sean stayed by his side just like always.
“The ambulance people they actually let me stay in the ambulance with him…my main thing was making sure he’s ok. Making sure he’s breathing. Like I said, it was scary when he kept passing out in my arms. I kept having to perform like, it wasn’t like CPR but just like rubbing his chest to make sure he’s responsive. So much was going through, I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Would I be able to see him when I get to the hospital. So I was just nervous a lot because I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
When Kevon got the OK to leave the hospital, the main focus was to get his vision back.
“I had to follow like these really strict procedures. I had to had my head down like at all times because I had a gas bubble. The gas bubble could push against my retina so I could get vision again. I couldn’t do anything… it was just hard because I couldn’t be with my friends and family and do my every day activities.”
Just before the end of the football season, Paire’s doctor told him he’s healed quickly and can get back on the field.
“He told me I could play football again and I’m like I’m going to take that chance. At first I was like I don’t know. I don’t want to hurt myself again and go through this whole process but I felt like God have me another opportunity and I want to take that chance. I took it.”
Even though his brother didn’t want him to play he supported him through the end of the season.
“That was really like his breakthrough. He got injured and that was like his main focus so I just have to understand how much I don’t want him to play but he needed to play again to get better through this injury.”
Moving forward Kevon says he’s learned to appreciate the little things and that he’s going to keep his faith in God and focus on the positive things in life.
“Just do everything with pride and enjoy this moment m. Don’t take anything for granted. Just live life.”