"It must have just been in his blood," she said.
This Christmas, the now 26-year-old Whitehorn got a knit Packers hat that his friends and family say triggered a fight that nearly cost him his life.
Whitehorn and a few friends were outside a bar in Portland, Ore. — where he now lives — after the Packers loss to Arizona on Jan. 16. It was about 11:30 p.m. and Whitehorn — wearing his Packers hat — was on the sidewalk waiting for a ride home from his girlfriend. Friends at the scene told Whitehorn's family that three young men approached Whitehorn and made some unprovoked negative comments about the Packers and then punched him. Whitehorn fell and hit his head on the concrete, suffering a severe brain injury that left him unconscious.
They told Whitehorn's family the men made remarks indicating they were Seattle Seahawks fans.
Portland police have released surveillance photos of three "people of interest," but have not made any arrests and would not comment on whether the dispute had anything to do with NFL loyalties.
"We don't want to offer any details that might compromise the investigation," said Portland Police Sgt. Pete Simpson.
Kelly Whitehorn said her son suffered a skull fracture and a brain hemorrhage. He was in the neurotrauma ICU after emergency surgery but has since been moved to a trauma acute care unit, she told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Saturday.
"It's just heart-wrenching," she said. "He wears a helmet because part of his skull is still missing. ... It's a long road ahead."
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