A high school football team was struck by tragedy this week as 17-year-old Andrew Dodson of Pulaski County High School in Kenctucky died as a result of injuries sustained on a “clean tackle.”
The Dodson suffered the injury during the team’s annual intrasquad scrimmage on Friday – the last day of the team’s spring practices. On Monday, the Kentucky High School Athletic Association announced that he had passed away.
“No words can explain, justify or rationalize tragedies such as these. We only ask for peace and comfort to all around him and around our great Commonwealth,” the KHSAA said in a statement according to Fox News. “We also encourage all to seek out family and friends to walk through this difficult time together and talk through all the emotions that come with losing a friend, brother, comrade, child and teammate.
“We know in the hours, days, weeks, months and years ahead we will continue to remember his fighting spirit and passion for all things Pulaski County, as well as his deeply held beliefs about his time on earth and following.
“We hold his family and his friends close in these times and offer our deepest condolences.”
Dodson’s father, Alan, said that the fatal injury was not the result of a helmet-to-helmet hit but that it was “a clean tackle.”
“It was not a violent hit or helmet-to-helmet. It was a simple, clean tackle,” he said, adding that his son was wearing a helmet. “His head hit the turf, and Andrew suffered blunt-force trauma to the brain. He had a major surgery to relieve the pressure and has never awakened. He has been (fighting) for his life on total life support.”
[Fox News, Lexington Herald-Leader]
