Local man watching Kevin Everett's condition very closely

As Kevin Everett fights to stay alive in a Buffalo hospital Monday night, one Rochester man is pulling for him here at home. Nearly four years ago, we brought you the story of Anthony Salmon, a defensive end for Wilson High School. Like Everett, Salmon suffered a severe spinal injury. He's now paralyzed.

It's been nearly four years since Anthony Salmon has been confined to this motorized wheelchair. Much like Kevin Everett of the Buffalo Bills, one game, one play changed Salmon's life forever.

"The quarterback dropped back because I was playing corner-back, dropped back into coverage and then he booted around like he was going to run and I laid the tackle. At the time, I knew something was wrong because it was like I felt my whole body just shut down," said Salmon.

It was September 26th, 2003. Salmon fractured his neck at the cervical spine. He spent the next five weeks at Strong Hospital. Then it was on to a rehabilitation hospital in Chicago where Salmon learned how to move his shoulders and breathe without a ventilator. Now at 21, Salmon is paralyzed from the shoulders down.

"It's not really gotten any better, but I've gotten a lot stronger. I can feel myself getting stronger, people that been around me every day see that I'm getting stronger. I still have those why did it happen to me moments, but you get over it," said Salmon.

Those moments came rushing back when Salmon watched the Buffalo Bills game Sunday night.

"I was watching the game when Kevin Everett got hurt. The first thing I thought to myself was I hope that he's all right," said Salmon.

Salmon is closely following Everett's recovery.

"I would just tell him it's going to be a long path, a lot of pain but he can get over it," said Salmon.

As he did. Now, Salmon focuses on raising his five-year-old son who also loves the game. Despite the injury, Salmon says he's looking to the future.

"Four years from now I plan on going to extensive rehab because stem cell research should be complete, so I'll be going through rehab and getting these muscles back together," said Salmon.

Salmon says he plans to walk again someday. He plans to undergo intensive rehab while he starts business classes at Empire State College in November.