Not long ago, Danny Spond wasn't sure if he'd even be able to move part of his body, let alone continue to play football. So severe was a migraine he had during a Notre Dame football practice in August that he was shaken emotionally.
Spond was unable to move the left side of his body and doctors wondered if he'd suffered a stroke, but after many tests, it was determined that Spond had major migraine that temporarily praralyzed him. He said the following in a Chicago Tribune story:
"There was a time where I didn't know if I was going to be able to walk again because I really couldn't move parts of my body and stuff."
"So I was petrified. I was relying on Christ quite a bit. But through His grace and everyone around me I pulled through with the best doctors around. They really helped me learn what this was, and be able to treat it each and every day now."
Now the 6-2, 248-pound junior linebacker has medication to treat his headaches, and is contributing to the Fighting Irish's suffocating defense.
Spond started against Michigan State last week and had four tackles in a 20-3 win.