An Alabama high school quarterback has tragically died after suffering a catastrophic injury during the opening night of the football season, WFSA 12 reported.
Caden Tellier, 16, sustained a devastating brain injury during the opening game between his team, the Morgan Academy Senators, and the Southern Academy Cougars. He was rushed to a local hospital where he was treated, but he died on Saturday morning. It was not immediately clear what caused the young man’s injuries.
Tellier’s death has led to an outpouring of grief from the small Selma, AL, community of which he was a part. On Monday, students at nearby Edgewood Academy held a prayer vigil for their peers at Morgan and Southern.
Bryan Oliver, Morgan Academy’s Headmaster, issued a statement confirming Tellier’s death and offering his support to the school’s staff and students, as well as Tellier’s extended family.
“Caden loved the Lord with all his heart and was a shining light every day he graced the halls of Morgan Academy,” Oliver wrote. “He was a student, a friend, an athlete, and, most important [sic], a Christ follower. There are no words to describe how we feel as a school community and family. Caden will never be forgotten for who he was and what he means to Morgan Academy.”
Michael McLendon, executive director of the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) released his own statement in which he noted that all school functions have been canceled for the upcoming week to give Selma residents an opportunity to grieve.
“We ask that our entire AISA family and the people of Alabama join us in prayer for peace and comfort for Caden’s family and the Morgan Academy community as they navigate this difficult time,” McLendon said.
A GoFundMe campaign established by a friend of Tellier’s family has already raised nearly $85,000 of its $100,000 goal.
— AISA (@aisaonline) August 24, 2024
