LA MESA--Kip Hayes, 41 year-old son of Noble and Ruth Hayes has died in his La Mesa California home.

Mount Miguel High School, 17 year old Kip Hayes, a outstanding lineman survived a serious spinal injury he suffered making a tackle against a Granite Hills High School player in November of 1976. His Riddell helmet failed to protect him. He suffered a fracture of the cervical spine which left him a quadriplegic. Paralyzed from the neck down. Kip only marginally recovered and was restricted to a wheel chair the remainder of his life. He died at the age of only 41 years.

Kip mother Ruth Hayes of San Diego, brought a lawsuit against Riddell, Inc. of Chicago for unspecified damages equal to one-fourth the total assets of Riddell " Riddell is the nations largest helmet manufacturer. Her lawyer blamed the helmet for Kips incapacitation.

Mr. Hayes committed himself to having a rewarding and positive life despite his injury and he became an inspiration to many people in San Diego faced with quadriplegia.

LOS ANGELES TIMES
JANUARY 16, 1985

Prudential Insurance CO. has asked a federal judge to release it from having to provide home nursing to Kip Hayes, a quadriplegic injured in a high school football accident eight years ago U.S. District Judge L.C. Nielsen took the matter under submission Monday. Prudential informed Hayes last January that it would pay only $10,000 more for his health care. The 25 year-old Hayes, who broke his neck playing football for Mount Miguel High School, argued that the insurance company had no right to break his contract. Through legal battles, he got some of his benefits temporarily restored. Documents filed by Hayes' attorney claim that his medical bills amount to more than $200,000 a year.


I HAD THE PLEASURE OF NOT ONLY KNOWN KIP, BUT SHARING CLASSES WITH KIP AND THAN GRADUATING WITH HIM IN THE CLASS OF 1977.