JO to miss Sunday's game to be with grieving family

[Poe]

O'Neal to be with grieving family

 

Miami Heat center Jermaine O'Neal said he will miss Sunday's game in Sacramento and might be away from the team for up to a week in order to be in South Carolina with his family after they decided to take his ailing uncle off of life support.

 

O'Neal said his uncle had checked into the hospital with what he thought was pneumonia, then his vital organs began failing him.

 

O'Neal already has returned home once to see him, making it back just two hours before a game against the Washington Wizards on Nov. 27. Since then there have been a series of emotionally draining phone calls with family members, culminating with Friday's decision to turn off the machines that are keeping his uncle alive.

 

O'Neal said the process will happen Saturday. He will leave Los Angeles, where the Heat played the Lakers Friday night, on Saturday, and return to Columbia, S.C., but does not expect to be there when his uncle takes his final breath.

 

I'm sure JO will miss his uncle, and the Heat are going to miss JO. I would say that I hope he comes back as soon as possible, but I think it's best for him to take his time, be with his family for a bit, and not let himself get too emotionally drained.

Edited December 5, 2009 by Poe

[Flash]

RIP to his uncle and hopefully Jermaine will come back even more motivated because of this. He's been outstanding this year and should really get All Star consideration for his play.

[Poe]

I hope so too. I hope as this becomes something of the past his FT% will raise, too, as well as his overall performance.

[deestillballin]

Damn, I hope he will be ok, all my prayers go out to him.