Harlan County basketball player returns home after surgery

HARLAN COUNTY, Ky. ( FOX 56 ) — A Harlan County basketball player has returned home after spending most of the July 4 weekend in a Lexington hospital.

According to a Facebook post from his sister on Saturday, Reggie Cottrell made it home and is recovering from surgery in the company of friends and family.

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Lexie Cottrell said that even though he may not look like it, Reggie is thankful for the love and support of his fellow teammates and community members over the past couple of days.

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A player for the Harlan County Black Bears basketball team is in the hospital after an allegedly defective firework explosion on Thursday.

According to his sister Lexie, Harlan County basketball starter Reggie Cottrell was flown to a Lexington hospital, where he underwent surgery Thursday night.

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Lexie Cottrell posted on Facebook around 5 a.m. on Friday that Reggie “went to light the firework and the wick didn’t even light the firework just blew up.”

According to Lexie, several of Reggie Cottrell’s fingers were operated on, but Reggie is in stable condition and is staying positive.

“It’s going to be a long road to recovery so keep him in your prayers. I asked him if he was still going to play ball he replied ‘I’m ‘Reggie Cottrell,'” Lexie said in a Facebook post on Friday.

Harlan County Public Schools posted a statement from Reggie on Facebook around 3 p.m. on Friday, which said he was overwhelmed by support from fellow players and the community, and that he will be “getting back home to Harlan County very soon.”

Lexie posted on Facebook saying the family will not be taking interviews while Reggie recovers from his surgery “to give me and the family a chance to take everything in.”

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