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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Children's of Mississippi Kid Coach: Luke Puckett
5/16/2025 | Baseball
Kid Coach is a partnership between Children's of Mississippi and the Ole Miss Rebels to salute pediatric patients. Their inspirational stories remind us just how truly courageous these young people are.
This week's Children's of Mississippi Kid Coach is Luke Puckett of Pearl.
Born with spina bifida, Luke came to Children's of Mississippi for spinal surgery when he was only one day old. Pediatric neurosurgeons closed the opening over his spinal cord, and then he stayed in neonatal intensive care for four weeks before going home.
When he was 3 months old, surgeons placed a shunt in his head to treat hydrocephalus. Three years ago, the shunt malfunctioned and had to be revised.
Currently, Luke sees many specialists at Children's of Mississippi, and he comes to appointments at least once a month. In fact, he and his family are so close to his care team, they say Children's is like home to them. In addition to routine appointments, he is monitored yearly by the team at the spina bifida clinic at Children's.
Now 12, Luke is in the sixth grade and doing great! He never meets a stranger and makes friends everywhere he goes. Nothing slows him down.
He enjoys watching YouTube, playing Roblox and shooting Nerf guns. He also loves playing wheelchair basketball for the Mississippi Wheelcats!
Have fun at Saturday's game, Luke. Your friends at Children's of Mississippi are cheering for you!
Children's of Mississippi. Forever and Ever for Kids.
This week's Children's of Mississippi Kid Coach is Luke Puckett of Pearl.
Born with spina bifida, Luke came to Children's of Mississippi for spinal surgery when he was only one day old. Pediatric neurosurgeons closed the opening over his spinal cord, and then he stayed in neonatal intensive care for four weeks before going home.
When he was 3 months old, surgeons placed a shunt in his head to treat hydrocephalus. Three years ago, the shunt malfunctioned and had to be revised.
Currently, Luke sees many specialists at Children's of Mississippi, and he comes to appointments at least once a month. In fact, he and his family are so close to his care team, they say Children's is like home to them. In addition to routine appointments, he is monitored yearly by the team at the spina bifida clinic at Children's.
Now 12, Luke is in the sixth grade and doing great! He never meets a stranger and makes friends everywhere he goes. Nothing slows him down.
He enjoys watching YouTube, playing Roblox and shooting Nerf guns. He also loves playing wheelchair basketball for the Mississippi Wheelcats!
Have fun at Saturday's game, Luke. Your friends at Children's of Mississippi are cheering for you!
Children's of Mississippi. Forever and Ever for Kids.
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