Former NFL standout and college coach Guy Morriss has been dealing with Alzheimer's Disease for nearly a year according to a report. The 66-year old was first diagnosed with a form of dementia four years ago as he told WKYT that it got to the point where he couldn't write his name down or even tie his own shoes.
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However, it seems that Morris has been making progress and could be getting better:
Last fall, Morris visited the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, where testing revealed Guy was in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.
With treatment, including a drug called Aricept, and a lot of hard work, Guy is beginning to become Guy again. In a way, his football background has helped Morriss tackle therapy designed to improve the disconnect between his brain and his body.
"Guy takes it home with him. So if he doesn't perform up to his standards on one particular task, he will go home and practice as though he was in a game," Dr. Jica said of his patient. "He can see that there's difficulty, and he works at it. He practices. And that's incredibly good for his brain."
"You stay with it. You learn the pattern again. That's a win for me," Morris said. "Dressing myself is a win for me. Tying my shoes is a win for me."
The doctor treating Morriss believes that the disease stems from his time as an offensive lineman in the NFL. He played for the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots from 1973 to 1987. He also coached Kentucky in 2001 and 2002 before taking the Baylor job from 2003 to 2007 and took a D-II job at Texas A&M-Commerce from 2009 to 2012.
Morriss was a Pro Bowl center in the NFL and was the starter for the Eagles in Super Bowl XV.
[h/t The Spun]
