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BY Prosper Kuzo, 9:30pm November 27, 2024,

College football player ‘still alive in hospital’ despite school announcing his death after head injury in game

by Prosper Kuzo, 9:30pm November 27, 2024,
Medrick Burnett Jr.
Medrick Burnett Jr. Photos: Alabama A&M/GoFundMe

College football player Medrick Burnett Jr. is fighting for his life in a hospital, despite an earlier statement from Alabama A&M University mistakenly announcing his death.

The university’s now-deleted announcement claimed that 20-year-old Burnett passed away after he suffered complications from a head injury sustained during a game last month.

“Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.,” Alabama A&M Director of Athletics Dr. Paul A. Bryant said in the initial statement. “Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.” The statement also praised Burnett’s family for their strength during this “unimaginable ordeal.”

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However, reports from Burnett’s family contradict the university’s announcement.

According to his relatives, Burnett is still alive and is currently fighting for his life in the hospital. The university then quickly removed the statement from its website after the family made the clarification.

Burnett is a redshirt freshman at Alabama A&M and was transferred from Grambling State University earlier this year.

He suffered a severe head injury on October 26 during the Magic City Classic, which is the annual rivalry game against Alabama State, and reports indicate that the injury occurred while he was defending a kickoff as he collided with another player.

Former NFL coach Hue Jackson, who recruited Burnett to Grambling State shared an emotional message about the athlete’s condition shortly after the incident.

“A football coach’s worst nightmare… a player that is seriously injured while playing the game he loves,” Jackson wrote on social media.

He talked into detail about the extent of Burnett’s injuries, which included multiple brain bleeds, swelling, and a craniotomy performed as a last resort to relieve pressure on the brain.

A GoFundMe campaign has been put in place to support Burnett’s family with medical and housing expenses. Though there was confusion caused by Alabama A&M’s earlier statement, the family and school remain hopeful that the College football player gets past this difficult battle.

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Last Edited by:Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku Updated: November 27, 2024

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