An Unbreakable Bond: The Brotherhood of Maurice Stokes and Jack Twyman

Maurice Stokes seemed destined for greatness in the National Basketball Association. An All-American at tiny Saint Francis College in western Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh native earned NBA Rookie-of-the-Year honors in 1956 and broke the league's single-season rebounding record in 1957.<br>The direction of Stokes' basketball career -- and his life -- changed dramatically on March 12, 1958. During a game against the Detroit Pistons, the Cincinnati Royals star fell awkwardly and hit his head against the court. He became paralyzed from the neck down as a result of the fall. The medical bills, and the attention required, became almost insurmountable.<br>Enter Jack Twyman. Stokes' teammate with the Royals, Twyman became Maurice's legal guardian and assumed responsibility for his friend's medical expenses. He became a tireless fundraiser for Stokes. He shared Maurice's story with anyone who would listen and he championed the cause of raising money to pay Stokes' bills.<br>Stokes was black and Twyman was white -- in 1950s America -- but their story transcends race. It is a story of perseverance, of selflessness, of brotherhood and of an unbreakable bond.