SPOKANE -- Ronny Coleman woke up from a nap Aug. 20 with a backache.

Within hours he was paralyzed from the waist down.

Now the athletic director of Kennewick High School is at St. Luke's Rehabilitation Institute in Spokane working to regain movement and feeling in his legs. And his friends and colleagues from the Tri-Cities are raising money to help cover the thousands of dollars in medical equipment he'll need when he gets home.

"The community has just been wonderful," Coleman said this week by phone from St. Luke's.

The 41-year-old Kennewick man stands 7 feet tall and weighs 400 pounds, so he'll need a specialized wheelchair and van to get around. He also needs modifications to his home to improve access.

One of the modifications -- a wheelchair ramp -- was built this week by volunteers from Tri-Cities Sunrise Rotary.

The group also is working to get Coleman's gravel driveway paved, and Perfection Glass in Kennewick is planning to enlarge the sliding glass door in the back of the house so the wheelchair can fit through, said Lee Wetherell, a Rotary member.

"He's educating children for our future, so we've got to take care of him," Wetherell said.

School officials also plan to raise money at the Kennewick-Pasco football game Oct. 23. Coleman was a longtime teacher, administrator and girls basketball coach at Pasco High before coming to Kennewick in 2008.

There's also a workout fundraiser planned at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick today.

"(Coleman) is a fighter. What makes him so successful is his attitude," said Pasco Athletic Director Le Burns. "Because of his attitude and his outlook, he's a guy people want to help out."

Coleman has been at St. Luke's since Sept. 8. When he woke up with the backache in August, he took some Advil and tried to tough it out. But the pain grew too intense and he was hospitalized. He's since undergone surgeries and dealt with intense pain as he did physical therapy.

Doctors aren't sure exactly what caused his condition. He either suffered a spinal stroke, or swelling from a cold he was fighting coupled with a pre-existing back problem led to the damage, he said.

There's hope he'll be able to walk again, but no guarantee. Coleman said he'll be OK either way.

"It's just another speed bump on the road of life," he said. "When it first happened, my thought was, 'How am I going to take care of this? I've got stuff to do.' "

He always takes that proactive approach when faced with tough times, said mom Shirley Coleman.

"It's incredible to see how he handles very difficult situations," she said. "No mother could ever be more proud of her child than I am of my son."

Ronny Coleman said he's done his best to stay up on what's happening at Kennewick High, even checking in with Ron King, who's been filling in as athletic director. He's also keeping a blog so his friends at home know how he's doing. It's at www.ronnycoleman recovery.blogspot.com.

Coleman said it's been encouraging to get phone calls, letters and e-mails from friends back home. He said he's been buoyed by support from his wife, Linda, his mom and the rest of his family.

Coleman grew up playing sports in Walla Walla and is well-known among Mid-Columbia athletes and coaches both for his size and the way he tries to help kids reach their potential.

"Ronny truly cares for kids and he truly cares for people. He's a giant of a man and he also has a giant heart," said Principal Jack Anderson of Kennewick High.

Coleman could be back in the Tri-Cities in November, depending on his rehabilitation progress. He said he's looking forward to returning to his job as athletic director.

"It's the greatest job in the world. (If I have to do it) from a wheelchair, I'll just have a different angle on life," Coleman said. "It's just a bump in the road of life. We're coming back. Big Cat is going to be good to go."

How to help

An account to help with Ronny Coleman's medical equipment costs has been set up at Bank of the West.

People can make donations to the Ronny Coleman Rehabilitation Fund at any branch.

There's also a workout fundraiser from 9 a.m. to noon today in the weight room at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick.

Organizers will help people through the intense "Fight Gone Bad" workout for a donation. People also can drop off donations without working out. The school is at 600 N. Arthur.