Monsignor O'Keeffe recovering from fall

Monsignor Richard O'Keeffe is recovering at Yuma Rehabilitation Hospital after suffering from injuries he received last weekend.

O'Keeffe served at Immaculate Conception Church for 37 years before retiring in 2010. He has remained active with the church and Yuma Catholic High School ever since.

On Nov. 10, O'Keeffe was watching from the sidelines of the Yuma Catholic-Phoenix Scottsdale Christian football game at Gilbert Williams Field when players went out of bounds and smashed into him.

“He got hit pretty hard,” said David Sampson, a deacon at Immaculate Conception Church. “He was really disoriented” and his shoulder was “really badly bruised.”

One of Sampson's fellow deacons brought O'Keeffe back to Yuma and dropped him off at home. Sometime later that night, or early the next morning, O'Keeffe fell in his home and couldn't get up.

“He was supposed to do Mass with me Sunday morning, but he didn't show up,” Sampson said. “Someone went over to where he lives and found him on the floor. He had fallen out of bed and hit his head.

“They called 911 and had him transported to the hospital. I went and saw him Monday and he was not in very good shape. He wasn't very coherent.”

Sampson returned to visit the next day and said O'Keeffe was looking healthier.

O'Keeffe has since been transferred to the rehabilitation hospital to heal.

“It is looking good,” Sampson said. “He is in a wheelchair yet, but hopefully he'll be able to get around. That is what they are working at. He looks better each day.”

Sampson expects O'Keeffe will remain at the rehabilitation center through the end of November. “They are doing a lot of physical therapy with him,” he said.