Coach Kill Admired By 11-Year-Old Gophers Fan With Epilepsy
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The last home game of the season ended in a disappointing loss for the Gophers.
Ohio State beat Minnesota 31 to 24.
Despite the defeat, one young fan still feels like a winner.
Billy Drash has the look and sound of any Gopher fan.
But this Atlanta native's loyalty isn't necessarily with the team, more so the man who coaches them.
"He has seizures just like me," Billy Drash said.
Coach Jerry Kill's game day seizures shined a spotlight on epilepsy throughout the country and let one 11-year-old boy know he's not alone.
"Coach Kill is one of the few people he's ever heard of, beside himself, who has seizures," Billy's dad, Wayne Drash, said. "So, he's looked up to him."
That admiration became an actual connection when Coach Kill heard his story and invited Billy, and his dad Wayne, to team practice Friday.
"He gave me the cool football helmet," Billy said.
"It was just a special, special day," Wayne said.
Pictures will provide the memories that Billy's daily seizures threaten to wipe away.
But more importantly, this introduction will help this family moving forward.
"It definitely gives us a lot of hope that we can get through this," Wayne said.
In Gopher nation, fans rely on Coach Kill to win the big game, but for an 11-year-old boy Coach Kill offers a different kind of inspiration.
"He made it yesterday without a seizure, which was pretty awesome," Wayne said.
Kill has not had a seizure in a year.
He's worked closely with doctors to reduce his seizures through medication, a better diet and more sleep.
