ENGLEWOOD — Xavier Lewis is recovering, and those who love him want everyone to know that he will be back.
The former star safety at Eaglecrest High School in Centennial was The Denver Post’s 2012 Gold Helmet Award winner. Now a football player at the University of Wyoming, this week he suffered what doctors said was a mild stroke and is recovering at Swedish Medical Center in the critical-care unit.
“It’s definitely a work in progress, but doctors believe he’ll have a full recovery,” Eaglecrest football coach Mike Schmitt said.
Friday night, a family member said Lewis was improving with determination against difficulties with communication and fatigue. The Lewis family has asked for privacy and stated that it will provide updates through the Wyoming media relations office.
Lewis, 19, a sophomore safety at Wyoming, suffered the stroke — blood supply to the brain is reduced or interrupted — while at his apartment in Laramie with roommate Eric Nzeocha, a sophomore tight end. According to the Casper Star-Tribune, Nzeocha quickly identified Lewis’ condition through Lewis’ difficulty with speaking and inability to write something on command. Nzeocha then took Lewis to a Laramie hospital.
“Eric Nzeocha saved him,” Lewis’ father, Quentin, a former Eaglecrest assistant coach, told the Casper newspaper. “You have to give him the most accolades ever.”
After a few hours at Ivinson Memorial Hospital in Laramie, Lewis was airlifted to Swedish. Schmitt and others were able to visit Lewis on Thursday. The coach said Lewis was able to walk and had moments of communication.
“The main thing is, he just can’t talk,” Schmitt said. But, the coach added, when Lewis was asked to communicate through pen and paper, he was able to write his name. And when asked to add something else, Schmitt said Lewis wrote down the formula for velocity.
“That’s X,” Schmitt said.
Doctors have performed a battery of tests on Lewis. The cause of the stroke hasn’t been identified, but Lewis might have been dehydrated. He was working through final examinations for the first half of the school year.
“He will push himself beyond the threshold of other kids,” Schmitt said.
The 6-foot, 195-pound Lewis played in 11 games for the Cowboys this season. He has a career total of 27 tackles.
Two years ago, Lewis helped Eaglecrest advance to the Class 5A quarter- finals. He was an All-Colorado safety — as well as The Denver Post’s 62nd Gold Helmet Award winner as the state’s top combination of outstanding senior football player, scholar and citizen.
Neil H. Devlin: ndevlin@denverpost.com or twitter.com/neildevlin
