The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/266935
24 ■ THE WOLFPACKER TRACKING THE PACK For the fifth year in a row, friends of former NC State men's basketball player Brian Keeter will gather at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course to help raise money to support Keeter's recovery from a near-fatal car accident in late 2008. Keeter, who played for then-Wolfpack head coach Herb Sendek from 1998-2002, is paralyzed from the waist down due to the inju- ries he sustained in the single-car crash in Charlotte. Each year, his friends and Wolfpack family have helped him net $15,000-$20,000 from the captain's choice golf tournament called the "Hope To Walk Classic," with proceeds benefitting the South Atlantic Spinal Cord Injury Fund. "I have definitely been able to maximize my recovery effort through this tournament," said Keeter, who moved from Atlanta back to Charlotte last fall to continue his physical therapy and help reduce his living costs. "And there have been some good things to come from my accident. It has helped me reconnect or get better connected with coaches and teammates I kind of lost touch with as we all get older, and jobs and kids for some came into the equa- tion." This year's tournament will be May 19 at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course on NC State's Centennial Campus with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start. Tournament entry, range balls, cart fees and lunch for all participants is included, at $110 per individual and $440 per foursome. The proceeds of a sports memorabilia auction will also add to the total fund. You can register online at http://bit.ly/hopetowalkgolfclassic. The registration deadline is April 30. The tournament started in 2010, thanks to Wolfpack staff mem- ber David McGee, who provides security for the NC State men's team and staff. McGee and Keeter developed a friendship after Keeter finished at NC State and have been close ever since, through Keeter's accident, his hospitalization and his recovery, helping him pursue his dream of walking again. "I can't thank the NC State family enough for all they have done to support this event," Keeter said. Keeter also recently launched his own nonprofit foundation called The Walk-On Foundation (www.thewalkonfoundation.org, Twitter: @thewalkonfound), which raises money and provides support for research for spinal cord injuries. Keeter said the new foundation is an offshoot from the support he has received over the years from his friends and family and the golf tournament that has raised more than $100,000 on his behalf. "Over the past few years I have been to some of the best therapy and research places in the country and have seen first-hand some of the promising research going on and even some promising results in the early phases of human trials," Keeter said. "It was seeing these results and learning that like most things the biggest obstacle for these treatments to come available was funding, which is what led me to start this foundation." The foundation is also having its first event, organized by board member and former Wolfpack basketball player Will Roach, at The Alley on Hillsborough Street on May 18, the day before the golf tournament. "Obviously, I would love this to help bring treatments to help restore function and get myself and the others I have met out of this chair, but even if it just helps the future injured it is worth it," Keeter said. "So far we have just focused on grassroots fundraising and I have started to put up some videos on the Foundation Facebook page to help people see what I am trying to do." Last year, Keeter finished both a project management certifi- cation and a pharmaceutical sales certification. Now that he has settled back in Charlotte, he has begun to look for a full-time job, hopefully in the field of pharmaceutical sales. "I'm trying to balance getting a career, working on the founda- tion and working on my body to get stronger and to stay ready for the treatments that I hope become available soon," Keeter said. "Every year that they have put on the golf event, I'm a little over- whelmed and question why do I deserve this? I also have no idea if each year will be the last, I guess we will just take it a year at a time depending on the support and what I am doing and where things are at in medical research." — Tim Peeler Fifth Annual 'Hope To Walk Classic' Golf Event To Be Held In May Former NC State men's basketball player Brian Keeter is paralyzed from the waist down due to the injuries he sustained in a near-fatal car ac- cident in late 2008. PHOTO COURTESY BRIAN KEETER "Over the past few years I have been to some of the best therapy and research places in the country and have seen first-hand some of the promising research going on and even some promising results in the early phases of human trials. It was seeing these results and learning that like most things the biggest obstacle for these treatments to come available was funding, which is what led me to start this foundation." ■ Brian Keeter 18,20,22,24,26.Tracking The Pack.indd 24 2/25/14 3:49 PM