A little help from his friends

In 1972, Seminole High School lineman Chez Evans laid out opposing players with such ease Parade Magazine dubbed him an All-American, the first ever from Oklahoma.

Evans took that ability to plant defenders into the turf with him to Norman and was a four-year letterman during Oklahoma's championship runs of the mid-1970s.

But four years ago, it was Evans who was lying on his back after a freak accident at work left him unable to move his arms or legs.

Following emergency surgery, doctors told Evans he ought to get used to being a quadriplegic. There wasn't much hope for anything more.

"I knew that wasn't going to work for me,” he said. "I had football games to go to and people to go see and things to do.”

But just like one player can't win a football game alone, Evans knew he'd need help.

When former Sooner great Sammy Jack Claphan died in 2001 from a heart attack, Evans felt he only saw his ex-Sooner teammates at funerals. Following Claphan's funeral, Evans and others came up with a plan to honor Claphan. They would meet once a month at a different restaurant for dinner.

The gathering started small. But thanks to Evans, dinner night gradually grew and continues today.

"Chez is the one who got it started,” said Karl Baldischwiler, an all-Big Eight offensive tackle in 1977 who would go on to a career in the NFL. "He got a hold of people and put together a network.”

The monthly dinners reestablished a brotherhood the men shared as players. Evans didn't know it, but he'd soon need his brothers more than ever.

On Oct. 28, 2004, Evans was at St. Anthony's Hospital, where he worked with teenagers suffering from mental health problems.

While attempting to restrain a teenage boy, Evans was twice slammed into a door, head first.

"I hit my head no harder than you would stub your toe on furniture,” said