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Stroke Survivor Spends Father's Day At Broncos HQ With Other Dads

By Kelly Werthmann

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - It was a special Father's Day for Broncos fans. The team hosted their first-ever "Pigskin with Pops" event inside their team headquarters Sunday morning.

pigskin with pops
(credit: CBS)

The event was a chance for fathers and families to take part in a variety of football activities on the indoor turf where the Broncos practice. Families could also take photos with the three Lombardi trophies the team has won over the years. Miles the Mascot as well as several Broncos cheerleaders were also on hand to celebrate.

"We take great pride in creating opportunities for Broncos fans to make memories," Ted Santiago, Director of Marketing, said. "Pigskin with Pops gives our fans the opportunity to have a lifelong memory in our house on Father's Day."

Among the fathers at the event was a young dad who credits UCHealth, which sponsors the indoor facility, with saving his life.

"This is great," David Kenyatta told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann. "It's like a second lease on life."

David Kenyatta
David Kenyatta (credit: Candance Kenyatta)

In mid-December last year, Kenyatta, a typically healthy man, was on his way to work when he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, a severe bleed on the right side of his brain. A driver noticed him driving erratically, called 911 and an ambulance arrived to rush Kenyatta to the hospital.

David Kenyatta
David Kenyatta (credit: Candance Kenyatta)

"David was very sick," Dr. David Case, a UCHealth neurosurgeon who treated Kenyatta, said. "He was in our ICU for quite a while, but he was able to get through it because he got timely, quick treatment."

Kenyatta, who was just 38 at the time of his stroke, was in a coma for more than three weeks.

"It was scary. I just left for work one day and woke up in the hospital," he said. "They said, 'It's 2017,' and I'm like, 'What happened to Christmas? What happened to everything?'"

Dr. Case said it is not uncommon for young patients to suffer a stroke.

"It is usually a genetic, predisposition that people have," Dr. Case said. "It's something you don't have control over."

High blood pressure is the likely culprit that caused Kenyatta's stroke, something he didn't know he had.

"I now take my blood pressure every day," he said.

Kenyatta never thought he'd suffer a stroke, let alone before he was 40. Now that he is back to playing with his family and able to enjoy Father's Day at the Broncos' UCHealth Training Facility, Kenyatta has a message for other young parents.

David Kenyatta
David Kenyatta (credit: CBS)

"Look after your health. Make sure you're healthy. I thought I was fine, but no," he said.

Kelly Werthmann joined the CBS4 team in 2012 as the morning reporter, covering national stories like the Aurora Theater Shooting and devastating Colorado wildfires. She now anchors CBS4 This Morning over the weekend and reports during the week. Connect with her on Facebook or Twitter @KellyCBS4.

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