Himmelsbach | DeVante Parker's family hopeful

As of late Sunday night, Louisville wide receiver DeVante Parker's family was holding out hope that he could return from the foot injury he suffered on Friday. Parker's grandfather, Willie Parker, said DeVante traveled to Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday to be seen by an orthopedic specialist, and he believed the examination would take place on Monday.

"I don't know whether he'll be able to play the first game, the second game, the third game or whatever," Willie Parker said by telephone Sunday night. "Nobody knows yet."

All everyone knows is that flying to North Carolina to be seen by Dr. Bob Anderson—the same doctor who treated Derek Jeter's 2012 ankle injury—is generally never good.

Word of Parker's injury spread fast late Friday night after UofL sent an ominous press release about his left foot injury, casting a sudden pall over the excitement surrounding this season.

Willie Parker said DeVante told him his foot "twisted funny" at practice that night, but added that neither DeVante nor the UofL medical staff could provide much clarity otherwise.

"I talked to him and he seemed to be pretty much OK," Willie Parker said. "I asked him how he was doing mentally and he said, 'What do you mean? I'm OK.'"

DeVante Parker is known for having a reserved personality, and his grandfather said it was no different around his family. He has mostly assured them he will be fine, even though everyone is waiting to find out if that is actually the case. Over the past two days, Parker has been retweeting messages of support from Louisville fans—as well as some Kentucky fans.

Yes, supporters want Parker on the field because he is one of the best wide receivers in the nation. But there is also an undercurrent of sadness for him, because everyone knows what he passed up to come back here.

After catching 55 passes for 885 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior, he could have been selected in last season's NFL draft, perhaps as high as the second round. And with star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater leaving, there was a sense that maybe this was the best time for DeVante to leave, too.

But then the Ballard High School graduate came back. It was partly because he loved college, partly because he wanted to play with Will Gardner, and partly because he believed there was still room to grow.

Regardless, the Louisville native chose Louisville, and that made people here swell with pride and anticipation, and now, suddenly, there is uncertainty. But Willie Parker said that even if the final diagnosis is not good, there will be no regrets about the decision. There will be no looking back.

"You know, I look at it like, what's gonna be is gonna be," he said. "We'll just have to wait and see how everything comes out, because life is full of ups and downs and it can't always be good… I know he'll be all right. Like I said, there's not too much that bothers him."

It was a refreshing statement during what must be a difficult time for this family. And it was true. Injuries happen and accidents happen and stuff happens. And you must find a way to deal with it.

Of course, a prolonged absence would still hurt. It would hurt the team and it would hurt DeVante. Willie Parker said that this offseason, DeVante had worked as hard as ever. He was eager to prove himself in the Atlantic Coast Conference and eager to see what Bobby Petrino made possible.

"Petrino's offense is genius anyway," Willie Parker said. "It wasn't gonna be just DeVante. It was gonna be everybody."

And now there is a chance it could be everybody but DeVante for a while. But if that's the case, the Parker family is ready to deal with it, ready to move forward.

Adam Himmelsbach can be reached by email ahimmelsbach@courier-journal.com and on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach