U.S. high school quarterback, 16, dies from on-field brain injury

globalnews.ca:

A 16-year-old high school quarterback died on Saturday, a day after suffering a critical brain injury during his school’s season opener, according to statements from the teen’s family and school.

Caden Tellier was a Grade 11 student at Morgan Academy, an independent school in Selma, Alabama. During a football game Friday night, Tellier was in possession of the ball and was tackled to the ground.

It’s believed that Tellier “suffered a ruptured blood vessel in his brain,” according to Alabama Independent School Association executive director Michael McClendon, who spoke to CBS News. The school is “still in the process of gathering details about the accident” and it may be “quite a while before we know more information regarding his injury,” McClendon added.

Tellier was airlifted to the University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital in critical condition after the on-field injury. He died a day later.

Tellier’s family announced his death in a Facebook post, writing that their son “has met Jesus face to face.”

“Everyone who knows Caden has known kindness, generosity and love,” the family wrote. “Lives have been touched by the way he lived and now lives will be saved through his passing.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been organized to help Tellier’s family pay off medical bills and funeral expenses. The page revealed that Tellier was a registered organ donor.

“Caden is best known for his kindness, generosity and love. 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 page reads.

The campaign has raised over US$78,000 as of Monday morning.

“His legacy will live on and we thank God that we had the opportunity to love him and be loved by him,” the page