X-man

Jadal Crawford has overcome daunting obstacles before and after brain surgery. But the Countryside High star has bounced back in a big way on the basketball court.

By JOE SMITH
Published December 19, 2006

Friends call Countryside High senior guard Jadal Crawford "X-Man" because of the scar resulting from two brain surgeries. He became ill in August 2005, diagnosed with meningitis, and spent almost two weeks in a coma.
	[Times photo: Douglas R. Clifford]

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Kathleen Flynn] Jadal Crawford tries to drive against Largo's Ben O'Donnell on Nov. 28. Crawford, who lost 50 pounds during his two-month hospitalization, starts in the backcourt with his brother Josh.

CLEARWATER -- Countryside senior Jadal Crawford rubbed the X-shaped scar on the right side of his head.

"People talk about it, but I love it," he said with a grin. "They call me X-Man."

The scar is a lasting keepsake from two brain surgeries that saved Crawford's life, when meningitis put him in a coma for nearly two weeks.

The spunky guard, whom coach Bob Marinak calls "our best athlete," lost 50 pounds during his two-month hospitalization.

Crawford had to learn how to walk again. Months later, capping an improbable comeback, Crawford is starting in the backcourt with his brother Josh for the Cougars 4-5, zipping around the court like a cheetah.

"It's been like a dream come true," Crawford said.

"I'm just glad to be here."

This was different

The nightmare began August 2005, on the second day of school, when Crawford felt a piercing pain in his head.

Crawford suffered sinus problems for years. Headaches were as much a part of his life as jump shots.

But this, he thought, was different.

Aspirin didn't work. Soon, Crawford had a fever. He felt chills, and nausea twisted his stomach into knots.

His aunt Stephanie Crawford took him to Mease Dunedin Hospital. Next thing Crawford knew, he was being flown to All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

"They're going to do surgery on your head," his father, Elijah Crawford, told his groggy son.

Jadal Crawford had meningitis, a serious, sometimes fatal infection that causes inflammation of membranes that protect the brain. His swollen brain squeezed up against its plate, leading to hemorrhaging.

Crawford's first surgery came that morning. The once vibrant and charismatic teen remained motionless, an IV sticking out of his arm and two tubes draining fluid from the top of his head.

Josh was a wreck. Scared, he slowly ambled into his brother's room with Stephanie. Jadal (pronounced jah-DELL) looked at his brother. Both started to sob.

"I'm going to be okay, bro," Jadal said. "And I'm still the best lookin' of us two."

'He's a fighter'

Truth be told, Crawford was far from okay.

His first surgery didn't fix the problem. Within 24 hours, another abscess appeared.

The 18-year-old suffered three seizures before falling into a coma. Doctors met with Crawford's family about a second surgery.

This time, the news was grim.

"The doctors told us he may not make it out of this one," Stephanie said. "I didn't want to hear that."

Stephanie went into another room to pray. With Crawford's mother in and out of legal trouble, it was his aunts who helped care for Crawford, "like he was my own son," Stephanie said.

"It was the most devastating, life-changing experience for our family," Stephanie said. "Jadal's a fighter, though. He's a fighter."

The shrine

Crawford remained in a coma for nearly two weeks. Living off a respirator, he rested, his head swollen, his body fed through tubes.

But he was far from alone.

Several friends and teammates, including Josh, visited, bringing balloons and a signed poster. Marinak brought him basketballs and a jersey.

"I told him he was doing this to get out of conditioning," Marinak said, joking.

Nurses encouraged the family to talk to Crawford. Stephanie played a CD of gospel music, whispering lyrics into his ear.

One time, Stephanie remembers, she held Crawford's hand, asking him, "You hear me? Squeeze my hand."

She felt a little pressure.

Learning to walk

Then on Aug. 22, 2005, Crawford's eyes opened.

"Jadal's awake!" his mother, Diane Giles, yelled. "My baby's awake."

When he left the hospital in late September, he went to his dad's house. Crawford tried to play catch-up in school, receiving lectures over the phone, taking notes and finishing homework at the kitchen table. He slowly gained the 50 pounds he lost, partly thanks to his job at McDonald's.

Crawford's traumatic experience changed his life.

He felt it was God's way of punishing him for the rebellious acts of his past - the fights, the traffic tickets.

He grew up in unenviable circumstances, with his mother's problems and his father coming into his life later on. His grandmother Lula Mae Jones, who raised and spoiled him with her trademark spaghetti, died four years ago.

"With all the things that went wrong in his life," his aunt Tereceta Jones said, "he's really standing tall."

Crawford says he has pulled his grades up to a 2.9 average and plans to go to college (thanks partly to a scholarship he hopes to land from All Children's Hospital).

Ever since Crawford was cleared to play basketball on Aug. 7, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound ball of energy has impressed his team. He started by whipping everyone in preseason conditioning, finishing a mile in 5 minutes, 36 seconds.

"I just took it one step at a time."

-- Joe Smith can be reached at joesmith @sptimes.com or (727) 893-8129.

[Last modified December 19, 2006, 06:03:14]