Tag: Rich Behm paralyzed

According to a report by the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys never had the roof of the practice facility that collapsed over the weekend inspected by city officials.

The Dallas Cowboys applied last year for a building permit to replace the high-tension fabric roof on the indoor practice facility that collapsed Saturday and injured 12 people. But the team never had city officials inspect any completed work, which is required by Irving’s building code.

In city documents released Monday, the team is listed as the general contractor for the reroofing project that was estimated to cost $600,000. Irving does not issue a building permit unless the general contractor is registered with the city. The Cowboys registered as a general contractor on the same day they requested a permit for the roof work.

City officials were aware that work began on the roof last year but never received word from the team that it was complete.
About 70 players, coaches, team support personnel and members of the media were inside. Ambulances transported 10 injured people; two others sought help on their own, officials said.
Scouting assistant Rich Behm was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after he suffered a spine fracture. Special teams coach Joe DeCamillis successfully underwent surgery Monday to stabilize a fractured vertebra in his neck and was expected to be released from the hospital later this week. Assistant athletic trainer Greg Gaither was expected to remain at Baylor University Medical Center while his broken right leg heals.

Blame will immediately shift to team owner Jerry Jones, as it should, but what about the city officials? They knew that work had begun on the roof last year but never received word from the team that it was complete? You’re telling me they didn’t know that the Dallas freaking Cowboys were practicing under a roof that was never inspected?

Either way, there was a tremendous amount of irresponsible behavior that contributed to this tragedy and now a man is paralyzed from the waist down because people didn’t do their jobs. What a sad situation.

The Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility was hit by a tornado this past weekend, leaving several people injured, including scouting assistant Rich Behm, who suffered paralysis from the waist down.

The Cowboys issued a release moments ago updating the status of three people that were taken to the hospital after their indoor practice facility collapsed.

Rich Behm, a scouting assistant, sustained a fracture to the thoracic spine that caused a severing of his spinal cord and permanent paralysis from the waist down. He underwent surgery Saturday night and remains at Parkland Hospital in stable condition.

Behm moved from the team’s video department to scouting a few years ago and worked closely with Chris Hall, the team’s college scouting coordinator, and director of college and pro scouting Tom Ciskowski.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones and coach Wade Phillips spent a large part of Saturday night/Sunday morning with the Behm family. More coaches and players visited the hospital today.

What a sad situation. It’s hard to fathom when something like this happens because most of us view sports as a release from everyday life. But obviously tragedies can take place anywhere at anytime and everyone can be affected by them.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Rich Behm, as well as his friends and family.