Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to play in an NBA game again. After suffering a knee injury and going through unsuccessful treatments, matters were not looking good.
Thanks to an experimental surgery, Ball did in fact make his return to the court last fall after missing two full seasons. Since then, Ball has been a key part of the team.
But now, something is different. The surgery Ball underwent involved a meniscus transplant from a donor. The donor, Alex Reinhardt, died by suicide.
Ball invited the Reinhardt’s family to a recent Heat-Bulls game at the United Center, over a year after receiving the transplant.
Reinhardt’s parents, Angie and Carl, as well as brothers Seth and Cole, met with Ball on the court Wednesday prior to tip-off.
“It’s just such an honor and a blessing and we’re just thankful that Lonzo’s thankful,” Cole Reinhardt told NBC Chicago.
The night provided an emotional moment for Alex’s mother, Angie.
“For us to be able to meet Lonzo and see him play the game that he loves and doing real life stuff, and be able to watch him play with a little bit of Alex in him is such a blessing,” Angie Reinhardt said.
The Reinhardt family hopes to continue to raise awareness surrounding both mental health and the need for organ donations.
Ball will remain in Chicago after this season, having signed a two-year, $20 million contract extension in February.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.Note: A previous version of this article said that a ligament was donated. This has been corrected.
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