Alabama high school football player dies of brain injury sustained during game

A highschool quarterback died after he was tackled and hit his head throughout a recreation in Alabama, officers stated Monday, within the newest gridiron tragedy to befall a younger participant.

Caden Tellier, 16, was injured Friday through the third quarter whereas competing for John T. Morgan Academy, a non-public college in Selma, because the Senators performed host to Southern Academy.

Early in third interval, Tellier was operating with the ball when a Southern defender wrapped round his waist, and the QB practically wiggled free earlier than being tackled on the ankles, Dallas County Coroner William Dailey advised NBC Information on Monday.

“He went down, touchdown on his elbow and his head hit the bottom,” Dailey stated. “Now, in response to everyone there, this was not a violent hit and his head didn’t strike the bottom violently.”

Tellier “began staggering” towards his sideline and as trainers administered concussion protocol, the QB threw up, “went unresponsive” and “by no means was in a position to converse once more,” the coroner added.

He was rushed to Vaughan Regional Medical Heart in Selma and airlifted to UAB Hospital the place he died, the coroner stated.

A state health worker will rule on reason for loss of life. However Dailey stated the preliminary discovering is that inner bleeding within the mind, brought on by that fall, led to Tellier’s passing.

The participant’s mom, Arsella Slagel Tellier, stated in a Fb submit on Saturday: “Everybody who is aware of Caden has recognized kindness, generosity and love, and true to his nature, he’s giving of himself yet another time.”

“Lives have been touched by the best way he lived and now lives will probably be saved by his passing,” she stated.

A GoFundMe web page to cowl funeral bills, which has already raised $75,000 of its $100,000 goal, stated Tellier died from a “traumatic mind harm.” The GoFundMe web page additionally mentions that Tellier was an organ donor.

{The teenager}’s father, Jamie Tellier, stated he is been heartened by nicely wishers from throughout the nation.

Though his son solely lived for 16 years, the grieving dad stated Caden was deeply non secular and loved practically each second of that point.

“There are some folks that do not get to do lots of issues in 80 years of a lifetime and my son did all the pieces in 16 years,” the elder Tellier advised mourners at a memorial service. “He lived a life, he laughed, he acquired to do all the pieces he needed to do, he completed a lot (of what) he liked.”

Morgan Academy headmaster Dr. Bryan Oliver stated in a press release to NBC affiliate WSFA of Montgomery that “there aren’t any phrases to explain how we really feel as a faculty group and household.” Morgan Academy has about 350 college students.

“It’s with a heavy coronary heart that I have to inform you that Caden Tellier has gone to be together with his Lord and Savior. Caden liked the Lord with all his coronary heart and was a shining mild each day he graced the halls of Morgan Academy,” he stated.

Michael McLendon, government director of the Alabama Unbiased Faculty Affiliation stated in a press release that he backed the college’s resolution to cancel all courses and actions this week, “giving their group time to come back collectively, mirror, and assist each other by this heartbreaking time.”

“As a small college, Morgan Academy feels this tragedy much more deeply,” McLendon stated. The varsity has 339 college students, in response to its web site.

Tellier’s loss of life is the most recent in a string of deaths involving highschool soccer gamers.

A West Texas highschool participant additionally died from a head harm in 2022, whereas a scholar died throughout soccer follow in Florida in 2021 and a 15-year-old boy died after collapsing throughout follow in Georgia the identical 12 months.

And extra not too long ago, sophomore Ovet Gomez-Regalado died on Aug. 16 throughout a preseason exercise at Shawnee Mission Northwest Excessive Faculty, which is about 12 miles southwest of downtown Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, officers stated.

Semaj Wilkins, a freshman at New Brockton Excessive Faculty in Alabama, suffered a “medical emergency” throughout follow and died on Aug. 13, officers stated.

Jayvion Taylor collapsed throughout soccer follow at on Aug. 5, at Hopewell Excessive Faculty about 24 miles south of downtown Richmond Virginia, earlier than dying, authorities stated.

Leslie Noble died Aug. 14 after he collapsed throughout follow at Franklin Excessive Faculty, within the Baltimore suburb of Reisterstown, Maryland, officers stated.