It’s been just over a month since popular club coach James Lamar of the Lady Dukes organization underwent emergency heart surgery on May 30, 2023.
June was a roller coaster month involving Lamar’s health as it appeared he was moving forward from the initial heart surgery procedures and was awake and responsive to his family in mid-June (below you will find the stories we’ve done since the coach was first hospitalized with the most recent listed first):
- Breaking News: Lady Dukes Head James Lamar Awake & Talking to Family & Team (June 15)
- Heartwarming Gesture: Florida Signee Keagan Rothrock Selling Bracelets to Raise Money for Hospitalized Club Coach James Lamar (June 10)
- James Lamar Update: Lady Dukes Leader Undergoing More Heart Surgery Today (June 2)
- Updated News: Lady Dukes Club Coach James Lamar to Have Additional Heart Surgery Today (Thursday) (June 1)
- Breaking News: Lady Dukes Club Coach James Lamar on Life Support After Emergency Heart Surgery (May 31)
However, over the last few weeks it was apparent that Coach Lamar—who is married to Duke University head coach Marissa Young, and has four athletic children including Braylon, Layla, Jolyna and Kayden—wouldn’t be going home from Duke University Hospital anytime soon.
On June 23, Steve Wiseman of the Raleigh News & Observer wrote an excellent summary of Coach Lamar’s health situation in an article titled Duke softball coach issues plea for donors as family addresses husband’s transplant needs.
In the piece, Wiseman wrote:
“Duke softball coach Marissa Young’s family entered a new phase of their health challenge this week as doctors determined her husband needs heart and kidney transplants.”
“Hospitalized in intensive care at Duke University Hospital for the past four weeks, Lamar had five surgeries for an undisclosed cardiovascular condition in early June.”
*** Click HERE to read the entire article.
Extra Inning Softball’s Brentt Eads reached out to Coach Young on Thursday (June 29, 2023) to get an update and to see if there was anything she wanted the softball world, especially to know.
“This has been a tremendously difficult time for our family,” she responded, “but our faith and the support of our family and the softball community of believers and prayer warriors is getting us through.”
“While the timeline for James to be matched with a heart is uncertain, we are certain he is in God’s hands surrounded by great care at one of the best heart transplant centers in the country.”
Day 33: Fight for James! 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/5wKjJUMe4V
— Marissa Young (@DukeCoachYoung) June 29, 2023
That support in the softball community has included a James Lamar GoFundMe started by one of Coach Young’s assistant coaches, Nicole Schaffer (click HERE to go to it), and the original goal of $30,000 to offset costs is close to being achieved.
Still, it’s a time of waiting for the family, players and friends. While most Americans will be celebrating the July 4th holiday this week, Marissa and her kids will have one goal in mind: helping James “get stronger as he awaits the transplant (procedure).”
There are two ways, Coach Young emphasizes, that those in the softball world and in the public in general can not only support their family, but educate their own:
1. Register to be an organ, eye and tissue donor
Click HERE to go to the National Donate Life Registry.
2. Be aware of heart attack warning signs
The American Heart Association has a website page all about heart attacks and the warning signs preceding them, treatment and life after having one. Click HERE to access the page.
Coach Young concludes:
“People assume because you are young and healthy it can’t happen to you,” she warns. “But that’s how we missed James’ heart attack signs.”
We will continue to have reports on Coach Lamar as they are made available and Extra Inning Softball’s staff continues to wish and pray for a full recovery for James.
— Brentt Eads, Extra Inning Softball
COPYRIGHT © 2023 Extra Inning Softball TM
Check out our other EIS links:
Find us on Instagram ~~~ Find us on Twitter ~~~ Find us on Facebook
EIS Online Store ~~~ Sign up for our Newsletter ~~~ Check out our Team Subscriptions
Check out our latest Podcasts ~~~ Advertise with Us! Check out our Rate Card
