On March 12, 1958, in the last game of the regular season, Stokes was knocked unconscious after he drove to the basket, drew contact, and struck his head as he fell to the court. He was revived with smelling salts and returned to the game. Three days later, after recording 12 points and 15 rebounds in an opening-round playoff game against the
Detroit Pistons, he became ill on the team's flight back to Cincinnati and lapsed into
unconsciousness. Stokes later suffered a seizure and was left permanently paralyzed. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic
encephalopathy, a brain injury that damaged his motor-control center. During the years that followed, Stokes would be supported and cared for by his lifelong friend and teammate,
Jack Twyman, who became Stokes's legal guardian. Although permanently paralyzed, Stokes was mentally alert and communicated by blinking his eyes. He adopted a grueling physical therapy regimen that eventually allowed him limited physical movement, and he eventually regained limited speaking ability. Stokes's condition deteriorated through the 1960s, and he was later transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, where Twyman continued to be a regular visitor. ==Death==