JUSTIN FRYE SAYS AVERY HENRY INSPIRED TEAMMATES WITH UPBEAT ATTITUDE DURING CANCER BATTLE, BUT RETURN TO FOOTBALL REMAINS “WAY DOWN THE ROAD”
Frye said all decisions about whether Henry can return to the field will be made by Henry and his doctors. That said, Frye wants Henry to be involved in all team activities he can and wants to be.
“That’s all gonna be based off the doctor's orders and what's good and safe and healthy for him,” Frye said about Henry returning to football. “But being around his guys and being involved as much as he can is gonna be the top priority for us, and as much as we can have him around and doing those things.
“I think we're still in the thick of it with him until we figure out the best plan of action medically. But as much as he can do, and he wants to be around the guys, doing those things, that's priority number one. Less worried about kick-sliding on 3rd-and-7 and more about making sure he's taken care of.”
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Frye says he is in regular communication with Henry and his mother to ensure Henry is doing well and has everything he needs.
“Right now, he's just in the middle of making sure he's healthy, he's happy, he's clean –a clean bill of health that way. But I mean, whenever he wants to come around, he's around. Wherever he needs something, he hits us up. We reach out and talk with his mom and talk to him, making sure he's good,” Frye said. “But I’m proud of him. He's still fighting. That's his mindset, his makeup the whole time that was going to go do that. That’s just the type of kid that he is.”
Frye said Henry has maintained an upbeat attitude throughout his battle with cancer and ongoing recovery. Even when Henry first received his diagnosis, he sought to reassure others that he would be OK amid their support for him.
“When he first got hit with the news, he came back and we were back and a little shocked, but then rose right into like, ‘But I'm gonna be all right, I'm gonna beat this. Whatever I gotta do, how many treatments I have to have, I'm gonna beat it.’ Very matter of fact and direct,” Frye said. “He was able to go (to the Peach Bowl), and my whole family came in … and shoot, he's hugging my wife and my kids there, he's like, ‘I'll be fine. Thanks for coming.’ There was no woe is me. He was very goal-oriented and purpose-driven at what he needed to do, and he's doing it. So I think that's why he's gonna eventually come out of the back end of this thing because that's kind of how he is.”