Ralph Underhill - RIP
May 5, 2010 22:42:29 GMT -5
Post by Admin on May 5, 2010 22:42:29 GMT -5
www.springfieldnewssun.com/springfield-oh-sports/wright-state-university-raiders/legendary-wsu-coach-loses-part-of-leg-in-battle-with-diabetes-689643.html
Legendary WSU coach loses part of leg in battle with diabetes
By Tom Archdeacon, Staff Writer
10:52 PM Wednesday, May 5, 2010
EDGEWOOD, Ky. — The little stuffed dog was sitting at the foot of the hospital bed when Melinda Underhill pressed the button that brought him to life.
In Barry White’s deep, soulful voice, he sang “You’re My First, My Last, My Everything.”
As the fifth-floor room at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood, Ky., filled with the old R&B hit late Wednesday morning, May 5, Melinda started dancing, so did a nurse. Suddenly, the stump of Ralph Underhill’s bandaged left leg appeared from beneath the covers, and for a few seconds it moved to the beat of the music.
That brought laughter from Melinda, Ralph’s daughter, and even drew a weary smile from the legendary Wright State University basketball coach himself.
Right then, you realized you were privy to a moment of levity in what’s been several days of tears and terrifying realization.
Tuesday, Underhill’s left leg was amputated at midcalf due to complications from diabetes.
And as has been the case for a year and a half now, the 68-year-old former coach still needs a new kidney.
But while things are quite different now than they were in his Hall of Fame heyday at WSU — where he won 356 games in 18 seasons, a Division II national title and then led the Raiders to their first-ever D-I NCAA tournament in 1993 — one thing hasn’t changed: Underhill doesn’t fold when facing a tough opponent.
He’s been dealing with diabetes — and not always in the best way — for 28 years. But his health took a real downturn late in 2008.
“He’s been fighting for his life,” said Melinda, who runs Bello-One Designs fashion boutique in downtown Dayton.
A little more than a year ago, it seemed Underhill — on dialysis and insulin — had a kidney donor. But then that woman backed out.
Earlier this year, a Dayton man appreciative of what Underhill had done for WSU, offered a kidney.
But two months ago, Melinda said, her dad slipped on a slick floor while barefoot and unknowingly suffered a small cut beneath a toe: “Because of diabetes, he had no feeling in his foot, didn’t know, and it got infected.”
The reality has not been easy to take, but Underhill has found strength in his two devoted daughters (Melinda and Kim Pluess), other family members and longtime friends.
To help buoy him, Melinda said she’d like to see WSU fans and his former players send a card to his family’s address at 261 Walnut Grove Drive, Centerville, OH 45458.
In the meantime, there’s the singing dog.
“He loves Barry White,” Melinda said. “That’s the first concert I ever saw. Dad was coaching at Chattanooga and I was about 8 and he took Kim and me and a couple of his ballplayers to see him.”
A nurse named Kisha was taking his blood as the song filled the room. “That’s your jam?” she said, a bit surprised. “Well then, you’re OK.”
That he is — and hopefully his health will get better, too.
Legendary WSU coach loses part of leg in battle with diabetes
By Tom Archdeacon, Staff Writer
10:52 PM Wednesday, May 5, 2010
EDGEWOOD, Ky. — The little stuffed dog was sitting at the foot of the hospital bed when Melinda Underhill pressed the button that brought him to life.
In Barry White’s deep, soulful voice, he sang “You’re My First, My Last, My Everything.”
As the fifth-floor room at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood, Ky., filled with the old R&B hit late Wednesday morning, May 5, Melinda started dancing, so did a nurse. Suddenly, the stump of Ralph Underhill’s bandaged left leg appeared from beneath the covers, and for a few seconds it moved to the beat of the music.
That brought laughter from Melinda, Ralph’s daughter, and even drew a weary smile from the legendary Wright State University basketball coach himself.
Right then, you realized you were privy to a moment of levity in what’s been several days of tears and terrifying realization.
Tuesday, Underhill’s left leg was amputated at midcalf due to complications from diabetes.
And as has been the case for a year and a half now, the 68-year-old former coach still needs a new kidney.
But while things are quite different now than they were in his Hall of Fame heyday at WSU — where he won 356 games in 18 seasons, a Division II national title and then led the Raiders to their first-ever D-I NCAA tournament in 1993 — one thing hasn’t changed: Underhill doesn’t fold when facing a tough opponent.
He’s been dealing with diabetes — and not always in the best way — for 28 years. But his health took a real downturn late in 2008.
“He’s been fighting for his life,” said Melinda, who runs Bello-One Designs fashion boutique in downtown Dayton.
A little more than a year ago, it seemed Underhill — on dialysis and insulin — had a kidney donor. But then that woman backed out.
Earlier this year, a Dayton man appreciative of what Underhill had done for WSU, offered a kidney.
But two months ago, Melinda said, her dad slipped on a slick floor while barefoot and unknowingly suffered a small cut beneath a toe: “Because of diabetes, he had no feeling in his foot, didn’t know, and it got infected.”
The reality has not been easy to take, but Underhill has found strength in his two devoted daughters (Melinda and Kim Pluess), other family members and longtime friends.
To help buoy him, Melinda said she’d like to see WSU fans and his former players send a card to his family’s address at 261 Walnut Grove Drive, Centerville, OH 45458.
In the meantime, there’s the singing dog.
“He loves Barry White,” Melinda said. “That’s the first concert I ever saw. Dad was coaching at Chattanooga and I was about 8 and he took Kim and me and a couple of his ballplayers to see him.”
A nurse named Kisha was taking his blood as the song filled the room. “That’s your jam?” she said, a bit surprised. “Well then, you’re OK.”
That he is — and hopefully his health will get better, too.