Paralyzed Southern University football player gifted new home

Georgia Bulldogs

Photos: Devon Gales sees new home for first time

Former Southern football player Devon Gales visits his new family home for the first time Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga. The Gales were presented a wheelchair-accessible home nearly four years after a collision with a Georgia football player paralyzed the Southern running back at a game in Athens.

Former Southern football player Devon Gales reacts to seeing at his new physical therapy room in their new family home for the first time Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga. The Gales were presented a wheelchair-accessible home nearly four years after a collision with a Georgia football player paralyzed the Southern running back at a game in Athens.

Former Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan, brings his baby, Maddox, wearing a bib that reads "I love my Uncle Devon" to Devon Gales. Gales, a former Southern University football player, was paralyzed from the waist down after a collision with Morgan during a 2015 football game in Athens. The two have shared a close friendship since that day.

The new home for Devon Gales in Jefferson, Ga., includes a physical therapy and training room. After Gales' injury and rehab, a campaign was started to build his family a wheelchair-accessible home.

Mike Elrod, of Currahee Home Builders (from left), Devon Gales, his mother, Tanisha, and father, Donny, take a look at the new physical therapy room built for Devon at their home in Jefferson, Ga.

Devon Gales - surrounded by brother Dalen (from left), father, Donny, and sister Teah - enters the family's new home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga. The family was visiting the fully furnished home for the first time.

Devon Gales takes in his family's new home with father Donny (from left); mother, Tanisha; and sister, Teah, during an open house Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Devon Gales enters his bedroom with mother, Tanisha (left), and sister, Teah, at the new Gales family home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Devon Gales' bedroom in his new home in Jefferson, Ga., includes memorabilia from his playing days.

Donny (from left), Tanisha, Dalen, Teah and Devon Gales look at jerseys hung on the wall in Devon's room of their new home in Jefferson, Ga. Donny and Devon's jerseys were among those included in the wall decoration.

Tanisha Gales wipes away a tear eye as she looks around at the bedroom for her son, Devon, during the open house and reveal of their new home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Devon Gales looks around at his new family home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Maddox Morgan, the child of former Georgia kicker Marshall Morgan munches on a bib that reads, "I love my Uncle Devon."

A decoration in the Gales family's new home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Mike Elrod, of Currahee Home Builders, pushes Devon Gales onto the patio as friends and family gather during the open house and reveal for the new Gales family home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga. The home is replete with Georgia Bulldogs accents.

Devon Gales and Gene Cathcart, head football coach at Jefferson High School, joke around after taking a photo together during the open house and reveal of the Gales family's new home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

Among the Georgia memorabilia in Devon Gales' new room is a football signed by members of the 2015 Bulldogs football team, including then coach Mark Richt.

Mike Elrod, of Currahee Home Builders, embraces Devon Gales before showing Gales and parents, Tanisha (left) and Donny Gales (right), their new home Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga.

The Gales' new home in Jefferson, Ga., was completed and presented to the family July 11, 2019 - nearly four years after a collision with a Georgia football player paralyzed the Southern University running back at a game in Athens.

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Former Southern football player Devon Gales reacts to seeing at his new physical therapy room in their new family home for the first time Thursday, July 11, 2019, in Jefferson, Ga. The Gales were presented a wheelchair-accessible home nearly four years after a collision with a Georgia football player paralyzed the Southern running back at a game in Athens.

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