University of Montevallo bass fishing angler Easton Fothergill won the Bassmaster College Bracket competition Monday afternoon and will now compete against the best professional anglers in the Bassmaster Classic next spring.
That feat is impressive enough. But Fothergill underwent emergency brain surgery less than two months ago in order to return to the competition. His story is remarkable.
“Not only has Fothergill made almost a full recovery, the University of Montevallo senior was the top performer in the opening round of the College Classic Bracket with a five-bass limit weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces,” Bassmaster’s Christopher Decker reports.
“There were a lot of emotions this morning,” Fothergill told Bassmaster Monday. “I had a feeling that I had never felt before when we were leaving the ramp. The nerves I had were something I had never experienced. It was a crazy feeling. I was a little worried I would be trigger-happy on my first fish, but I was able to catch a couple that calmed me down pretty quickly.”
RELATED: Auburn duo reels in Bassmaster championship
In August, Fothergill’s mother posted on Facebook that Easton began suffering from worsening headaches. During a visit to the ER, doctors discovered a mass on his brain that was revealed with an MRI to be an abcess.
Despite everything, thanks to his remarkable recovery, the Montevallo angler is back and seemingly better than ever.
He won the event following the final round and claimed the spot as the top amateur to compete against professionals in the Bassmaster Classic with the victory.
“I can’t really put into words what it means to me yet,” Fothergill told Bassmaster. “This is something I never thought I would be capable of. I never saw myself doing something like this. It is crazy special. The fact I wasn’t even planning on being here and then winning it, I really can’t put it into words.
“Now I know what God’s vision was.”
Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270
Don’t miss out! Subscribe today to have Alabama’s leading headlines delivered to your inbox.