• 64°
franklin county times

Nix says he feels great

By By Jared Florreich / staff writer
July 4, 2003
HATTIESBURG Former USM star running back Derrick Nix, fresh off kidney surgery June 6, is back on the football field at Southern Miss.
Though his playing days are over, he now has the opportunity to live a healthy life and pursue a career in coaching.
Nix will be a graduate assistant to the 2003 Golden Eagle Football team on the defensive side of the ball, a different look than he's used to.
Still, Nix said it would be tough to adjust to a non-playing lifestyle.
Nix injured his ankle in 2000, and began taking anti-inflammatory pills that a team doctor gave him to reduce pain and swelling. He took medication which caused his weight to balloon, and he retained a lot of fluid, a sign of kidney trouble.
Nix redshirted in 2001, still battling his kidney ailment. Doctors cleared Nix to play in 2002, a season in which he rushed for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns. Nix finished 12 yards shy of setting the all-time school record for rushing yards.
In that same season, Nix re-injured his ankle, and ultimately his kidney ailment flared up again. Nix has filed suit against the companies of Vioxx and Celebrex, medication he took that could have caused his kidney ailment. The lawsuit, which asks for potential future NFL earnings, is still pending.
Nix suffered from a kidney disease called focal segmental sclerosis, which is almost identical to the disease that faced Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning and former San Antonio Spurs forward Sean Elliott.
His brother Marcus, 33, after weeks of tests, was an identical match to Nix, and according to Derrick had no reservations about giving up his kidney.
Both Nix's have recovered with no side effects.
Still, Derrick takes 25 pills a day, and said he couldn't pronounce all the pills, and didn't know what some of them were. He has been taking anti-rejection pills, in case the kidney ends up not being a match.
But Nix is grateful to be healthy and to everyone who helped him, sent cards, and kept him in their prayers.

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Mousey Brown

News

Russellville First Baptist Church receives historical marker

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Meeting a higher standard – Russellville High School JROTC

News

RCS BOE announces new superintendent  

News

Miss Dream Girl Pageant names winners

Franklin County

First Metro Bank hosts FAME Girls’ Ranch donation drive

News

PCHS holds annual Shelby Grissom Memorial Fashion Show

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: VFW Post 5184 – ‘No One Does More For Veterans’

Features

Supporting students’ futures

Features

Red Bay Garden Club discusses amaryllis planting

Franklin County

UA announces local students for fall 2023 President’s, Dean’s, graduation lists

News

School news

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Troy Oliver

Franklin County

Appropriations bill passes, allots more than $3 million for new Russellville library/multipurpose center 

Franklin County

Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association names Cattleman of the Year 

Franklin County

Franklin County votes: Unofficial March 5 primary election results 

Franklin County

Funding for new Russellville library, multipurpose community center expected this week

Features

Faces of Franklin County: BTCPA

News

GFWC Russellville Book Lovers Club sponsors downtown art crawl

Franklin County

PROGRESS 2024: Veteran Spotlight – Cody Bragwell

Franklin County

42nd annual Miss RHS pageant names winners 

News

Miss RHS pageant takes place Friday

Franklin County

Political announcement: David Hester speaks about run for reelection as county commissioner

Franklin County

BTCPA auditions for final production of season take place March 3-4 

x