Former Coeburn Football Coach

Anyone have any updated news on how Coach Carl Richards is doing after his surgery yesterday?

Did not know he was in ill health what is/was wrong?

He has a brain tumor. They did surgery yesterday and the only thing I have heard was from church last night that they could not get all of it. We all need to keep him and his family in our prayers.

Carl is currently at Holston Valley in Kingsport. He did have surgery to remove a brain tumor. Things went as well as expected under the circumstances. Please remember our family in your prayers.

I am friends with Carl's daughter-in-law, she called me last night and told me that they got around 90% of the tumor. But that it had progressed and formed like roots and therefore was into the brain tissue. So that is why they couldn't get all of it. The doctors have give Mr.Richards up to a year to live. Mr.Richards was helping out at UVA when he got to where he couldn't remember anything and now he could understand when someone talked to him, but just couldn't respond back with complete sentences. That is what Tiffany told me. The Doctors also told the family that Mr.Richards has got the fast growing kind of cancer and that he has had this tumor for atleast 6 months. Please keep this family in your prayers.

Anyone hear any news of Coach. please post it. I worked with the MAN for years. I hate to hear that he is not well. He will be missed on the field. Prayers are going up all over the area for him and his family.

He got to come home today, actually he is doing better than what the docters expected him to. He is talking also, as of last week he couldn't even hardly talk, not making a complete sentence. Just keep him and his family in your prayers.

Actually, he isn't home yet. He will be home later today. I will post more on the situation later.

I talked to Coach Crabtree yesterday and he had been by to see him earlier in the day. He said he had gotten out of bed and goten ready by himself and was setting in a chair when he got there. He was able to converse fairly well with him only not completing a few sentences. The tumor was in his frontal lobe (short term memory). They got 95% of it out and he starts chemo this week.

I love Carl to death and give him credit for helping to make me the man I am today. After playing for him and coaching with him. Of course he loved to win and football was everything to him, but he also was a dedicated teacher and developer of young men. My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

Glad to hear he is doing better. Update on his situation when you can. Thanks

Carl just got home a few minutes ago. He would really appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers during this time. Call or come by. Send a card. Whatever. We just need some encouragment to get through this situation.

Where does Carl live now? Is he still in Rogersville?

Carl lives in Coeburn. If you seriously would like to contact him or visit, send me a private message and I will give you directions.

If you can print this out and let him read it. I know i have had him in my thoughts since i heard this. Im sure a lot of his former players and friends have and continue to also.

Anyone wishing to send Coach Richards a card can do so at this address PO Box 1324 Coeburn, VA 24230. It would mean a great deal to him to hear from his former players.

Can anyone fill us in on how Coach Richards is doing? I haven't heard anything in a while.