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Thoroughbred trainer says Younghoe Koo's whiffed field goal kick saved his life
TL;DR
Thoroughbred trainer Mark Toothaker credits a missed field goal by Younghoe Koo for saving his life after it caused him to laugh so hard he had a seizure, leading to the discovery of a brain tumor. The tumor was successfully removed and was benign.
Key points
- Mark Toothaker is a trainer at Spendthrift Farms.
- Younghoe Koo missed a field goal attempt during a game.
- Toothaker experienced a seizure after laughing at the missed kick.
- A CT scan revealed a benign brain tumor.
- The tumor was successfully removed without long-term damage.
Mentioned in this story
Mark ToothakerYounghoe KooSpendthrift Farms
Kentucky Derby
Mark Toothaker, a thoroughbred trainer with Spendthrift Farms, is going to attending the Kentucky Derby this weekend to cheer on Spendthriftâs Further Ado. That might not have been happening if it wasnât for an unusual coincidence â that started with a missed field goal.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Toothaker said that he was watching the New York Giants on Monday Night Football in December when a whiffed kick from Younghoe Koo made him laugh so hard that he got a seizure.
The defining moment came in the second quarter of the loss to the New England Patriots, as Koo attempted a 47-yard field goal. Instead, Koo tripped as he went for the kick and missed the ball completely, leading the Giants to turn the ball over on downs.
The miss, Toothaker said, prompted him to laugh incredibly hard, to the point of having a seizure, which he described as like being âelectrocuted.â His wife Malory, a nurse at a rehabilitation hospital with experience with brain injuries, initially thought her husband was joking but called 911 to transport him to a hospital.
A CT scan later revealed a âtennis-ball-sizedâ brain tumor in Toothakerâs brain. At University of Kentuckyâs hospital, the tumor, which turned out to be benign, was removed. Toothaker was released by the end of the week without suffering any long-term damage â all of which he credits to Koo.
â(The) kicker saved my life because it couldâve happened any other time,â Toothaker told the AP. âI wholeheartedly believe I was in the right spot at the right time, and he was the trigger for that happening. It was a miracle.â
Koo was released by the Giants two weeks after the failed kick. Toothaker told the AP that he would love for Koo to be his guest at the Kentucky Derby; however, the 31-year-old kicker doesnât seem open to the idea, and did not respond to the AP when asked to comment on the story.
Toothaker, per Spendthrift Farmsâ website, is a stallion sales manager for the breeding farm. Further Ado, Spendthriftâs horse, currently has the second-best at 6-1, and will race in the No. 18 position at Churchill Downs.
Q&A
How did Younghoe Koo's missed field goal lead to a seizure?
Mark Toothaker laughed so hard at Koo's missed kick that he experienced a seizure, prompting a medical emergency.
What was discovered after Mark Toothaker's seizure?
A CT scan revealed a benign brain tumor the size of a tennis ball, which was subsequently removed.
What is the significance of the Kentucky Derby for Mark Toothaker?
Toothaker is attending the Kentucky Derby to support Spendthrift's horse Further Ado, a trip he believes he might not have made without the incident involving Koo.
