NFL : Laughter at Koo's Missed Kick Leads to Life-Saving Discovery

A missed kick by Giants kicker Younghoe Koo leads to a life-saving discovery. Here’s why this bizarre moment changed everything for Mark Toothaker.

Last December, while watching "Monday Night Football," Toothaker laughs so hard at Koo’s botched field goal attempt that he suffers a seizure. His wife, Malory, a nurse, initially thinks it’s a joke until she calls 911. A CT scan reveals a tennis-ball-sized tumor on the left side of Toothaker's brain. “Nobody wants to hear, ‘You’ve got a brain tumor,’” Malory states.

Toothaker is transferred to the University of Kentucky hospital, where surgeons remove the benign tumor. Remarkably, he experiences no lasting damage and returns home within a week.

Now, Toothaker is set to attend the Kentucky Derby this Saturday, where Spendthrift Farm-owned Further Ado will race. He credits Koo's missed kick for saving his life, admitting he could have faced a serious accident if the seizure had occurred elsewhere.

At 59, Toothaker had no prior symptoms and was active in his role as stallion season manager, traveling extensively. He expresses gratitude for the timing of the incident, emphasizing the importance of being in the right place at the right time. Toothaker hopes to invite Koo to the Derby, acknowledging the unexpected twist of fate.