LOHUD--CROTON'S NICK SPRINGER CONTINUES TO INSPIRE, YEARS AFTER TRAGEDY, COMEBACK, HIS DEATH -- WITH ADDITIONAL LINKS TO PAST BLOG POSTINGS

Welcome to Everything Croton, (while the New One is down) a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

It’s 1999. Gary Springer and his wife, Nancy, are in their son's hospital room.

Nick, 14, awakens to learn he has been in a coma for six weeks. Given just a 10% chance to survive a near-fatal brush with meningococcal meningitis, Nick has made it through. But doctors had to amputate his legs through the knees and his arms at mid-forearm.

Gary Springer recalls the conversation, with his heavily medicated son.

“He said: ‘Dad, I don’t think I have any fingers.’ I said: ‘Nick, you don’t. When you got sick, they had to cut them off.’ He goes: ‘I think I know about my legs, too.’ And I said, ‘Yeah, Nick, but we’ve already had people in to see you. You’re going to be able to walk again. You’re going to be able to have new legs.’ Instead of breaking down, Nick just said: ‘OK.’” MORE AT Nick Springer, late Paralympian from Croton NY, still inspires

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