She said that while she was outside my Auntās room earlier in the week, a young African American man was wheeled out of surgery, and into the room next to my aunt. Mom tells me that she struck up a conversation with the mom of the young man who had just had surgery. His mom mentioned that her son was a football player, and my mom asked where, and lo and behold, he played at the University of Alabama. My mom perked up a bit then, and asked who he was, instantly recognizing Julio Jonesā name when told, though my mom still calls him āJulioā with a hard ājā sound.
According to Julioās mom, he had surgery on his shoulder and left wrist. Julioās mom said that he played the entire season with a broken left wrist, an injury that he apparently received in high school. Julioās mom said that he initially didnāt tell the coaches because he wanted to play so bad, so he just played with a bulky wrist wrap, to protect his wrist.
The next day, mom walked by the room, and Julio was sitting up, waiting to go home. So, my mom knocks on the door, and goes in to talk to Julioās mom. (my mom isnāt a very shy person, I guess you might say). She ends up talking with Julio for several minutes. At first she said that she was going to ask him for an autograph, but that Julioās writing hand was the one that just had surgery (according to my mom), and his other hand had an IV in it. So my mom said, I was going to ask you for an autograph for my 10 year old son, but I see that you canāt write.ā Julio told her that heād try anyway, and sure enough, he gave her an autograph for my little brother. Julio mentioned that he was headed back to Tuscaloosa because class started back today. My mom asked him if heād be okay going to class so soon, and he said, āOh yes maāam, I donāt hurt at all - I havenāt even had any pain medicine.ā Tough guy!
Mom asked him about playing with a broken wrist all year, wondering whether it bothered him, and he said that it hurt every time he got hit. (It sure didnāt show). My mom walked away very impressed with Julio, calling him soft-spoken, humble, and very nice. He seems like a really good guy. She said that Julio also mentioned four other players that had surgery that week, but she didnāt remember the names, except for a T.J., or A.J. (āB.J., I asked?ā āYes, that was itā she said).
