David Patterson Has Successful Back Surgery
5/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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University of Alabama assistant head gymnastics coach David Patterson underwent successful spinal surgery today to correct a long standing back ailment.
Patterson, who just completed his 27th season at Alabama, had a multi-level lumbar spinal fusion performed at Carraway Hospital in Birmingham. The surgery, performed by Dr. Evan Zeiger, got underway at 1 p.m. and took about four hours.
"The surgery was a success and now we are looking forward to a full recovery," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said of her husband's procedure.
David Patterson will remain in the hospital for the next few days before returning home to Tuscaloosa. The procedure comes just one week after he helped coach the Crimson Tide to a second place finish at the NCAA Championships, the Tide's 10th top-2 finish in school history.
A native of Huntsville, Ala., and a 1982 University of Alabama graduate, Patterson has helped coach the Crimson Tide to four NCAA Championships, 20 NCAA Regional titles and five Southeastern Conference crowns.
And while Patterson isn't expected to be out of commission for long, he will miss this year's "Ride of Love" fund raiser for Camp Smile-A-Mile, an organization that gives kids with cancer a place to go for camp. Patterson, who has participated in the one-day 150-mile bike ride the past three summers helping raise over 100,000 dollars, remains a staunch advocate and cheerleader for this summer's event. For more information on the ride, go to www.rideoflove.com.
