COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — The first real change in injured football player Drew Hixon’s status came to Tennessee Tech athletic officials Friday from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Fla., and the news offered the first positive information since his injury Sept. 11.
Early Friday morning, Drew was taken off the ventilator and is breathing on his own, according to Will Darnall, a spokesman for St. Joseph’s. He remains unconscious, but his status has been upgraded from critical to serious and he remains in the ICU.
On Thursday afternoon, nearly 1,000 well-wishers, teammates, students and student-athletes convened on Overall Field in Tucker Stadium to form Drew’s uniform number “7” for an aerial photograph to send to Hixon’s family.
Hixon, a senior wide receiver from Kennesaw, Ga., was injured at the end of a pass play during the second quarter of Tech’s game against the University of South Florida in Raymond James Stadium.
Tennessee Tech has received hundreds of emails, cards and letters for Drew and his family, and has been delivering them to the hospital. In addition to the photograph that was taken Thursday, a large card was also signed by many of the people who came to the stadium for the “thinking of you” tribute.