A team photo shows Caden Tellier, the quarterback at Morgan Academy in Selma, Ala., who died over the weekend after a brain injury in a game. The school shared photos of Tellier as it called for donations to support his family.
John T. Morgan Academy
hide caption
toggle caption
John T. Morgan Academy
The new school year has started with tragedy at two Alabama high schools, where teenage football players have died in the past two weeks.
On Friday, Caden Tellier, 16, suffered a severe head injury while playing quarterback in the opening game for John T. Morgan Academy in Selma. His death was announced the next day.
On the same day Tellier’s death was confirmed, a funeral was being held for another high school football player, some 115 miles southeast of Selma. Semaj Wilkins, 14, died after having a medical emergency during a practice at New Brockton High School.
Caden Tellier died over the weekend
Tellier was “in the hospital in critical condition with a brain injury” after Friday night’s game against Southern Academy, according to a post from Alabama Independent School Association Executive Director Michael McLendon.
McLendon did not give further details about Tellier’s condition, or how he was injured.
Tellier, a junior who led his team in touchdowns and rushing yards last year, ran for a touchdown in the first half of Friday night’s game, but he went down with an injury in the third quarter, according to the Selma Times-Journal. An ambulance was brought onto the field to take the quarterback to the hospital.
Tellier was “a shining light every day he graced the halls of Morgan Academy,” school…