Greg Brooks Jr. was on his way to college football stardom when his journey was cruelly derailed by fate. The former LSU safety was a member of the team from 2022-23. He had just been selected team captain of the Fighting Tigers in 2023 when he began experiencing nausea, dizziness, and headaches during football practice. The prognosis was not good.
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A month later, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and had to undergo surgery. As a result of his condition, Brooks Jr.’s playing career was derailed. Today, he is tumor-free, but has had to relearn how to eat, write, and speak. He also undergoes speech and occupational therapy.
During this incredibly trying period, the young player had one person by his side throughout whom he could completely bank on: his girlfriend.
In a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast with host and former NFL safety Ryan Clark, Brooks Jr. opened up about his situation. In the one-on-one emotional interview, Brooks Jr. revealed how he was able to overcome his challenges despite the hurdles. All thanks to his girlfriend.
“My girlfriend helped me out a whole lot. There are some days I can’t get up and don’t want to do anything. I want to stay my b*tt in the bed all day, don’t move, nothing. And she helps me get up and helps me a lot every single day,” he revealed.
An emotional Clark especially appreciated his girlfriend and their strong relationship.
“As your uncle, as your coach, I’m so grateful to her,” said Clark. “A lot of people would have ran, a lot of people would have chosen themselves, and happiness. To have someone who would stick in there with you, love you through that, [and] support you, that is such an amazing thing and gift from God.”
But while Greg had his girlfriend backing him all the way, he got little support from the institution where he was supposed to make his mark in football.
Why Brooks Jr. sued LSU
Brooks Jr. has since filed a lawsuit against LSU and Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge, where he underwent brain surgery in 2024. In the lawsuit, he claims that he “passed out” during practice, and “then began to vomit minutes later in front of his coaches and athletic trainers.”
The lawsuit claims that Brooks Jr. was told by an LSU athletic trainer that he had vertigo and was “cleared to return to practice.” According to the filing, despite experiencing those symptoms on a “daily basis,” it took 39 days before “the team made an appointment with a neurologist who discovered the brain tumor.”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the family alleges that the surgeon who performed the surgery wasn’t qualified to perform that particular surgery, as a result of which the LSU athlete suffered “multiple strokes” and was left with what the suit describes as “severe and permanent injuries.”
Brooks Jr.’s story has touched people around the world. Even in the football world, former NFL defensive lineman Michael Strahan’s daughter created a bond with him as she, too, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.
Dealing with any kind of sickness or disease can be tough, depending on the severity of the situation. In a situation like Brooks Jr.’s, it’s easy to see how someone can become frustrated or upset.
Despite the adversity and cards he was dealt, Brooks Jr. is more than satisfied with how far he has come on his journey. “I am proud of myself. From the last time you saw me, night and day,” he said.
And those who have been following Brooks Jr.’s courageous journey are equally proud of him. His resilience in the face of hardship stands out, and he surely inspires others facing similar challenges to keep fighting.
