When Erick “EJ” Winston Jr. was born in 2003, he was lucky to be alive. He arrived three months early, very sick, and in serious condition. EJ brought with him a host of medical problems, including multiple kidney ailments. Though he was premature, he still weighed over seven pounds, mainly due to all the fluid he was retaining. Doctors were optimistic that he would survive but his parents, Shaneka and Erick Winston Sr., were told that little EJ wouldn’t be able to play sports, particularly contact sports.
The doctors may have told EJ’s parents he couldn’t play, but they never told EJ. And if they had, he probably wouldn’t have listened anyway. He made it through the critical period and grew into an active, athletic young man. His kidneys always gave him problems, and he always retained a little fluid, but he never for a minute slowed down. EJ even started playing flag football when he was six years old. He was surprisingly fast and nimble, and everyone could see that he had the chance to become a really good player down the road.
His kidneys, however, refused to cooperate. When EJ was born, he had general kidney disease but he also had an enlarged bladder. That caused urine to back up in his kidneys, resulting in further damage. Doctors knew he would one day require a kidney transplant. That day came sooner than everyone expected.
In 2009, just before EJ’s flag football games began, his kidneys shut down. He needed a kidney transplant. Doctors discovered Erick Sr. was a match, and on Sept. 1, 2009, he donated a kidney to his son.
“We were told he couldn’t play any contact sports after the transplant,” Shaneka Winston said.
When a patient undergoes a kidney transplant, the new kidney is placed in the front of the recipient’s abdomen, around his or her belly button. That particular area isn’t designed to protect a kidney, making the new kidney more susceptible to injury. During EJ’s recovery, though, a doctor saw him goofing around with a football. He could see that EJ had a little gridiron talent and immediately began thinking of a way to get him back on a football field.
“One of EJ’s doctors said that he needed to be playing football. He thought that if we put EJ in a brace to protect the kidney and made sure he stayed hydrated, things would be fine,” Shaneka said.
As amazing as it sounds, six months after the transplant, EJ was back playing football. “My cousin, Aaron Winston, played for Lowndes. He
encouraged me to play. But I got sick. When I got better, I wanted to play tackle football,” EJ said.
Turning EJ loose on the field, even with a brace, was scary – particularly considering the position in which he plays. EJ spends time all over the field – quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and cornerback. He even punts on occasion. Because of where he plays, he often has a target on his back. He is in the line of fire and he gets hit often.
How does his mother handle it? “I get concerned any time one of our players gets hit,” she said. “Since he’s been playing, we haven’t had any scares or injuries.” In addition to overcoming plenty of obstacles just to get on the field, he has the talent to secure a starting spot and the big-play ability to be an integral part of his team’s success. Playing for the 4th and 5th grade Vikings from Moulton Branch Elementary, the 11-year-old threw a game-winning touchdown pass with 24 seconds on the clock to beat Pine Grove 13-12. “I’m going to keep playing as long as I can – all the way up to the NFL. I want to play for the Seattle Seahawks. Then I will be able to take care of all my family’s bills,” he says.
EJ, who also plays basketball, was scheduled to undergo another round of tests in early November. The new kidney has moved and is now sitting under his rib cage on his right side. That isn’t a problem – in fact, it provides the kidney with an extra layer of protection. What is a problem is a build-up of fluid around the new kidney. Doctors will run more tests to find out exactly what is going on, so EJ still has his fair share of challenges to overcome. However, he remains optimistic and committed to being as active as he possibly can be. His family is right there by his side the whole way. “We want him to keep playing as long as he can,” says Shaneka Winston.
Special Feature/South Georgia/December 2014
Erick Winston Jr. overcomes the odds to excel at three different sports
Robert Preston Jr.
Photography by Micki K Photography
