Thursday, August 17, 2006
Allen recovering from West Nile virus
Associated Press
RENO, Nev. -- Former Nevada basketball coach Sonny Allen is recovering at a rehabilitation center after contracting a severe form of West Nile virus, his family said.
Allen's wife, Donna, said the former high school, college and professional basketball coach began feeling ill after they returned from a trip to New Orleans in July.
He was hospitalized July 31, having developed meningitis and encephalitis, and was in intensive care for six days at a Reno hospital.
"It's a miracle he's alive," Donna Allen told the Reno Gazette-Journal.
"Sonny started having seizures," she said. "He was very critical for a couple of days."
Donna Allen said doctors expect her 70-year-old husband to make a full recovery and credit his physical conditioning and lifestyle for his ability to fight the life-threatening illness.
"He never drank, never had a beer or smoked, and exercised regularly," she said. "They said his health is so excellent. That's the reason he made it through this."
West Nile is passed mostly from birds to mosquitoes, then humans, horses and other animals. Though many people don't experience symptoms, the virus is particularly dangerous for the elderly and individuals with suppressed immune systems, for whom it can be fatal.
Allen's coaching career spanned 43 years, beginning in 1959 as a high school coach and ending with his retirement in 2001 as head coach of the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs.
He coached at Nevada from 1980 to 1985, taking the Wolf Pack to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two Big Sky Conference tournament titles.
Nevada has since joined the Western Athletic Conference.
Before coming to Nevada, he also coached at Old Dominion University in Virginia and Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
Allen recovering from West Nile virus
Associated Press
RENO, Nev. -- Former Nevada basketball coach Sonny Allen is recovering at a rehabilitation center after contracting a severe form of West Nile virus, his family said.
Allen's wife, Donna, said the former high school, college and professional basketball coach began feeling ill after they returned from a trip to New Orleans in July.
He was hospitalized July 31, having developed meningitis and encephalitis, and was in intensive care for six days at a Reno hospital.
"It's a miracle he's alive," Donna Allen told the Reno Gazette-Journal.
"Sonny started having seizures," she said. "He was very critical for a couple of days."
Donna Allen said doctors expect her 70-year-old husband to make a full recovery and credit his physical conditioning and lifestyle for his ability to fight the life-threatening illness.
"He never drank, never had a beer or smoked, and exercised regularly," she said. "They said his health is so excellent. That's the reason he made it through this."
West Nile is passed mostly from birds to mosquitoes, then humans, horses and other animals. Though many people don't experience symptoms, the virus is particularly dangerous for the elderly and individuals with suppressed immune systems, for whom it can be fatal.
Allen's coaching career spanned 43 years, beginning in 1959 as a high school coach and ending with his retirement in 2001 as head coach of the WNBA's Sacramento Monarchs.
He coached at Nevada from 1980 to 1985, taking the Wolf Pack to two appearances in the NCAA Tournament and two Big Sky Conference tournament titles.
Nevada has since joined the Western Athletic Conference.
Before coming to Nevada, he also coached at Old Dominion University in Virginia and Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
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Yikes. I had no idea. West Nile is often fatal to the elderly, so his good health sounds like it was definitely an asset in this situation. I wish him a speedy recovery.
