BY HAROLD GUTMANN
hgutmann@heraldsun.com; 919-419-6668
CHAPEL HILL — Duke wide receiver Blair Holliday remained hospitalized in critical condition Friday night following a Fourth of July jet-ski accident that left him with serious head injuries.
Holliday’s status update was provided by a UNC Hospitals spokesperson. Typically the hospital will only release a one-word condition report (good, fair, serious, critical or deceased) on a patient’s status.
Duke has said he is in “critical but stable” condition.
Holliday and fellow wide receiver Jameson Crowder were jet skiing Wednesday afternoon on Lake Tillery, about 120 miles from Duke and 50 miles from Crowder’s hometown of Monroe, when their watercrafts collided. The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, which has jurisdiction over boating accidents, is investigating the incident.
Holliday, a native of Sherman Oaks, Calif., was taken to Stanly Regional Medical Center in Albemarle, then airlifted to the UNC Trauma Center. Crowder was not hospitalized.
“First and foremost, our thoughts and prayers are with Blair, his parents, Leslie and Rick, and the entire Holliday family,” Duke football coach David Cutcliffe said in a statement issued Thursday. “The Holliday family is one of tremendous character and strength, and is truly an inspiration for all of us.
“Secondly, we could not be more appreciative of the care and support Blair has received here at UNC Hospitals. The doctors, nurses and support staff have been truly outstanding.”
Cutcliffe announced over Twitter Thursday afternoon that Holliday was in critical but stable condition. A hospital spokesman said he had no further update on Thursday night.
Holliday, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver from Sherman Oaks, Calif., was listed as the No. 71 wide receiver in his class by ESPN.com. He made three catches for 30 years last season, but he was the co-recipient of Duke’s Most Improved Offensive Player award following spring drills, and he was expected to start at wide receiver this year in place of Brandon Braxton, who was moved to safety in the offseason.
Blair’s college and high school teammates, along with members of the Duke and college football communities, offered prayers for Holliday over social media as the news of his injuries spread.
“We ask that you continue to keep Blair and his family in your thoughts, and also respect their privacy in this time of concern,” Cutcliffe said.
Article source: HeraldSun - Duke Sports
