An Alabama high schooler died this weekend after suffering a brain injury during the opening night of his football season — and now his community and family are mourning the loss.
Caden Tellier, who local outlet WFSA reports was 16 years old, was playing for Morgan Academy’s football team in their first game against Southern Academy on Friday when he “suffered a traumatic brain injury,” according to a GoFundMe and Facebook posts shared by the school itself and the Alabama Independent School Association.
Head of school Dr. Bryan Oliver said, per AL.com, that the student-athlete’s injury happened after a tackle during the game’s third quarter in Selma, Alabama.
According to ABC News, the high school junior was taken off the field and to a local hospital Friday before his death was announced the following day. The Selma Times-Journal described the scene as a “scary moment” when the teen was injured, as the game was delayed while he was being treated and taken off in an ambulance.
Tellier’s parents later shared a statement to social media, per AL.com, that their son “has met Jesus face to face.”
“We appreciate all of your prayers, and we covet them for the hard days ahead,” the statement read. “Everyone who knows Caden has known kindness, generosity and love, and true to his nature, he is giving of himself one more time.”
“Lives have been touched by the way he lived and now lives will be saved through his passing,” the family added. “We will walk out these next few days alongside him in his earthly body knowing that his spirit is rejoicing in heaven.”
The organizer of Tellier’s GoFundMe campaign, Kristen Jones, shared a similar sentiment in the description of the campaign, which as of Monday morning has raised $76,000 of a current $100,000 goal. Jones also mentioned that Tellier was an organ donor.
“True to his nature, he is giving of himself one more time to save the lives of others through the donation of his organs,” the message read. “His legacy will live on and we thank God that we had the opportunity to love him and be loved by him.”
“One way we can minister to the Tellier family as they grieve this tragedy is to cover all of their many medical, life flight, and funeral expenses and time out of work,” Jones added. “Thank you for loving on this family as they walk this difficult road. Live like Caden.”
On Facebook, Oliver shared a message with the school community over the weekend, calling the quarterback a “shining light” who “graced the halls of Morgan Academy.”
He added that there were “no words to describe” how the school community and Tellier family were feeling. “We will come together and support Jamie, Arsella and Lyla with our whole hearts,” he wrote. “We offer our deepest sympathy to the Tellier’s extended family as well… Caden will never be forgotten for who he was and what he means to Morgan Academy.”
Alabama Independent School Association Executive Director Michael McLendon wrote in an additional statement on social mediathat school activities were suspended for the week, giving the community time to “come together, reflect and support one another through this heartbreaking time.”
The AISA also offered “any support and resources” to the school.
