81 Year Old Memphis Fan Delays Surgery to Watch NCAA Match

Colleen Beck gave a new meaning to the word die-hard sports fan after she delayed life-saving surgery to watch her beloved Memphis Tigers in their opening NCAA game.  81 year old Beck was photographed in the emergency room of Methodist hospital watching the screen intently as the Tigers beat George Washington in the NCAA tournament’s second round.  The octogenarian was hospitalized to repair a collapsed lung but refused the procedure until she was able to see the Memphis Tigers defeat their rivals.

“She’s a tough old bird,” said her son, Bob Beck. “They did a CT scan and found out the lung was collapsed. They had to put a needle between the ribs, insert it into the lung and fill it up with air.”

But before the surgery, Colleen Beck asked the doctors to put down the scalpel and turn up the volume of the overhead TV to see how the game was progressing.

“Honestly,” said the patient “it didn’t take much persuading. Everyone wanted to watch.”

As soon as Beck was assured of her team’s victory, the doctors ordered that everyone clear the room and then advanced with the procedure which, thankfully, went well.

Memphis beat George Washington 71-66, allowing Beck to go under the knife with a smile on her face.

Beck plans to watch the Tigers go back on the court on Sunday night and she’ll be keeping vigil from her hospital bed. Asked if she thought the team can win again, Beck replied: “I don’t want to jinx ’em. I think I’ll just keep my mouth shut on that one. But it would just be wonderful if they could do it, it really would.”