Mahomes Seen As Fortunate Son -- Mother's '79 Accident Robbed Ability To Walk

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Pat Mahomes was lucky. His mother, Cindy, wasn't.

While the Minnesota Twins' pitcher released from a hospital after rolling his car early yesterday morning, his mother was sitting in the wheelchair that she has been confined to since an auto accident took away her ability to walk 15 years ago.

That 1979 accident was the first thing Cindy and her husband, Johnny, said they thought of when the two were told that Pat had been hospitalized. A hospital spokeswoman quickly assured them there was no extensive damage, and Pat called to tell them he would be released soon.

Mahomes' parents said they knew nothing of a police report that Pat might be charged with driving under the influence of alcohol, or that he hadn't been wearing his seat belt.

"Once we knew he didn't have anything broken, I was OK; I knew he wouldn't be paralyzed - that was my greatest concern," Cindy said from the couple's home in Lindale, Texas. "When we get him home, we can discuss it and find out what happened."

Cindy says she is fuzzy about how her accident occurred, but she says she knows this: She had just eaten breakfast at a restaurant and was driving home, listening to gospel music on the radio, singing along with the choir.

The next thing she knew, she was trapped inside her wrecked car.

She says she was told she probably fell asleep at the wheel, but she doesn't see how that's possible. "The accident was three minutes, or however long it took me to go three miles, from where I had breakfast," she said. "How could I fall asleep that quick?"

Cindy is able to drive with the use of a specially designed van. Although she cannot walk, she's been able to run, shoot basketballs and throw 90 mph fastballs vicariously through Pat.

Despite her accident, Cindy said she was never overly concerned about what could happen when her children drove.