JEFFERSON, Ga. — “I love football so much, you can’t take me away from it,” Devon Gales said.
In 2015 Devon Gales was a football player for Southern University when he suffered a spinal injury that left him paralyzed after playing in a game against Georgia.
“It’s been a journey, one I’ll never forget,” he said.
Now, he has found a new home at Jefferson High School as an assistant coach for the Dragons.
“It keeps you in the game after you’ve had your time. It was already a dream for me,” Devon said. “I was just happy for him to feel like he’s back in his element,” said his mother, Tanisha Gales.
His infectious personality and his work ethic has changed the program for the better.
“Since I’m always on the sideline and I have Coach Morgan working me out. Just for the team to see how hard I’m working, I can give some type of motivation for them,” Devon said.
His mother agrees.
“I felt like the kids could grow from that as well because they’re looking at him saying okay, ‘He’s in a wheelchair and he’s still out here grinding, so we have no excuse,’” Tanisha said.
“We yell and scream and it’s intense for a few moments, but it stings them when he gets on them. It stings their soul because they know what he would give to still be playing the game and to disrespect the game would be to disrespect him,” said Jefferson head football coach Gene Cathcart.
No matter what happened five years ago, his love for the game hasn’t changed.
“At times on the sideline I might tackle a few people and I’ll keep them down for a little while. Just to let them know I’m still that guy,” Devon laughed.
“Here’s a guy that has really taken the worst that the game could possibly inflict, and he still loves the game, he still loves the players. I just don’t know many people that are built like he’s built,” said Cathcart.
Devon is doing most everything on his own now almost five years since that day in Athens. His next goal? Drive a car again.