Perris Jones Returns Home From Frazier Rehabilitation Institute

While Thanksgiving passed through the calendar last week, Perris Jones and his family have a lot to be thankful for this week. Jones, who was injured during the Nov. 9 game with Louisville and underwent spine surgery as a result, received his release from the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute on Tuesday. He returned home to Virginia to continue his rehabilitation.

The senior running back took a hard hit during the Thursday night game with the Cardinals and needed immediate attention. The UofL Health-Sports Medicine team on the sidelines along with the UVA athletic training staff quickly rushed to him on the field and stabilized him for transport to the nearby hospital. Once there, he required spine surgery. After one week in intensive care as required by protocols, he transferred over to the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute and remained there until Tuesday.

Jones walked out of the hospital in Louisville, a credit to the care that he received. That his chance to leave happened so quickly is a testament to the medical professionals that served Jones, but the doctors also noted that his grit, perseverance, and athletic ability helped him to progress quickly as well.

“To echo the sentiments shared earlier, I don’t want my speedy seemingly to discourage anyone,” Jones said. “Everybody’s journey is different, everybody’s race is different, and everybody has a different purpose for their journey. I would just echo the run your race, take your time, and know whatever you’re doing, you’re supposed to be doing. It’s OK. Everything’s going to be alright. … I just want to echo that I’m grateful. Eternally grateful. Thank you.”

Stevie Jones’ father shared similar thoughts.

“I’m just as in awe as everyone else is, but eternally grateful that he was wheeled into this place and we will walk out,” the elder Jones said. “To everyone … thank you. I wish English had more powerful words because thank you seems inadequate, but from a father’s standpoint, I cannot tell you how I feel. I cannot tell you – Louisville is a second home. … Thank you.”

Perris Jones recalled the moment from the Thursday night game when he fell to the field. Jones sprinted out of the backfield, caught a swing pass, and raced up the right side where he collided with three Louisville defenders. That included contact to his head and neck area. The ball popped out as a fumble and Malik Washington scooped it up on the way to a touchdown.

Jones, meanwhile, had immediately crumpled to the turf.

“Right away, I couldn’t feel anything. After the hit, I just kind of realized my body go numb in a sense,” Jones said. “I hit the ground and didn’t even really feel myself hit the ground. Just kind of was sitting there like what in the world is happening. The UofL trainers, they were there right away. The first thing I echoed was that I couldn’t feel anything and I couldn’t move. As I said earlier, I’m a very faithful guy so I just closed my eyes, said a little quick prayer, and told the Lord I was listening because I do believe everything happens for a reason and that gave me a little calming presence.”

Fortunately, UofL Health had protocols in place and had practiced for scenarios exactly like what happened to Jones. The sports medicine staff reacted quickly to get him stabilized. At the same time, multiple phone calls rippled through the system to prepare for his transport. The Emergency Department, ICU, trauma surgeons, Radiology, and everyone else that could be needed were put on alert to spin into action when he arrived at the hospital.

Once the transport team moved Jones to the building, the trauma teams evaluated his status and then shifted the focus to neurology. With an MRI done and diagnosed rapidly, the team at UofL Health along with some neurosurgeons and sports medicine personnel from UVA evaluated the best course of action.

The quick action and decisions helped get Jones moving toward a good outcome and rehabilitation.

“Two of our head athletic trainers that were on the sidelines recognized right away that this was not a good thing and that Perris was in trouble and got to him quickly,” UofL Health-Sports Medicine Medical Director Dr. Jennifer Daily said. “The speed and that action saves lives and makes a difference. And I do think it made a difference.”

The injury was significant. Spinal surgery – anterior fusion and decompression in Jones’ case – alleviated pressure created by swelling. Jones had more issues in his upper body than his lower body and more trouble with his right side than his left. He will continue to focus on fine motor skills, particularly with his hands, as his rehab work shifts to Charlottesville. He will continue to strengthen all of his extremities as well.

To get to that phase, Jones had to take on rehabilitation work at the Frazier Rehabilitation Institute. He did so with vigor. The Louisville care team said they had to tell Jones to stop or slow down at times because of his motivation and determination with the assigned exercises.

MORE: Virginia football player Perris Jones’ physical therapy at Frazier Rehabilitation Institute. Jones will be discharged today – two and a half weeks after he was injured in the UVA-Louisville football game at L&N Stadium. (Courtesy UofL Health) pic.twitter.com/BeKm6c866o

— Paul Miles (@PaulMiles840) November 28, 2023

Jones said that the doctors had to remind him that hard work alone did not guarantee anything, something that challenged Jones’ patience given that he moved his way up the depth chart during his career through hard work. The senior running back leaned on that journey at UVA, though. In six years with the program, he began as a walk-on and then began to contribute on special teams and eventually became a starting running back these last two seasons.

He also said he drew motivation from his roommate Mike Hollins, a fellow running back that had to show incredible resilience himself just a year earlier. Hollins was shot, hospitalized, and underwent surgery in November 2022. He returned to the team and to the field this season after months of grueling rehab and mental tests.

Jones called Hollins an inspiration from how he carried himself through it all.

“That’s my warrior right there,” Jones said. “He’s an inspiration. …You hear a story and getting to actually be part of it and see every day, day in and day out how a guy like that carries himself after dealing with so much, it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself. If he can do it, I can do it too. We kind of motivate each other, build off one another, and he’s my brother. He really is.”

With rehabilitation now the focus, Jones does not plan to return to football. He played in six seasons for the Cavaliers. This year, he posted 393 rushing yards with 2 touchdowns and 6 receptions for 107 yards. He finished his football career at UVA with 770 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns plus 14 receptions for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Instead, Jones will turn his focus to goals outside of football. He has an undergraduate degree already from Virginia and is working on completing a master’s degree. He said he would like to try to help underprivileged kids and get them more opportunities as well as kids in juvenile detention centers.

That Jones can continue to pursue those goals on his own two feet is a remarkable story thanks to the UofL Health team. It’s also an incredible salute to Jones’ mental strength and determination, though his father has not been surprised by that while staying directly by his son’s side over the past 19 days. While not surprised by Perris’ determination and strength, Stevie Jones said he as been lost for words in a way and encouraged watching his son handle a challenging situation.

“How has it been? It’s been tough,” Stevie Jones said. “He grew up watching me come in and out of the country from combat tours pretty banged up, having to learn how to walk again. To see us reversed or shift or trade places broke my heart to be honest with you. I won’t talk about it too much because it moves me to tears to think about, but tough. I wish that I could have given him my spot, I don’t know if it’s any better, but I would have loved if magically we could have traded places and I could have done this for him. But it has encouraged me is so many other ways. To hear him talk and be able to respond to you all from his own person with his own ideas and his own thoughts, that is I’m like wow, that’s my kid. I still see the little kid. I’m just as much in awe as you all are, like lost for words. I love this guy so much. I’m so proud of him. I really think he has a change the world in him somewhere so I’d encourage you all to keep watch for him. I think he’s going to do some amazing things.”