Middle school football player, 13, dies after being knocked unconscious during practice
A 13-year-old West Virginia boy has died after passing out during a high school football practice.
Cohen Craddock began his sophomore year as a defensive back for Madison Middle School in Boone County.
The team was practicing Friday night and was hit in the head during a tackle, his father Ryan said.
Cohen, who was wearing a helmet, stood up, took a few steps and then fell unconscious.
The school called 911 and discovered the boy’s brain was swelling and oxygen levels were decreasing.
A 13-year-old from West Virginia has died after being knocked unconscious during a high school football practice. Cohen Craddock was starting his sophomore year as a defensive back for Madison Middle School in Boone County
The team was practicing Friday night and was hit in the head during a tackle, his father Ryan said.
Craddock never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead at 2:30 p.m. the next day.
Now father Ryan joins the entire community in mourning the death of his young son.
“He was Mr. Personality,” Ryan said 13News.
“He loved to joke around, he loved to make you laugh. Even when he was feeling down, he wanted to make you feel good. He was that kind of person. Just a big heart; big teddy bear.”
The entire school district celebrated Cohen’s life on Monday by encouraging everyone to wear red.
“Madison Middle School lost one of their football team members to a tragic accident on the field. We as a family know what that feels like and what the support from people across the state, the country and around the world has meant to us,” the school wrote in a Facebook post.
The school’s soccer team still has a game against Shady Spring on Friday night.
School principal Matt Riggs praised Craddock in a statement.
“He loved to joke around, he loved to make you laugh. Even when he was feeling down, he wanted to make you feel good. He was that type of person. Just a big heart; big teddy bear,” Ryan Craddock said of his son
The grieving father has taken up the cause of what is known as Guardian Caps, a recent innovation in a waffle helmet covering that forms a soft layer that can significantly reduce the impact of helmet collisions.
“As a Redhawk, Cohen was beloved by his classmates, his teachers, his administrators and the entire staff of Maddison Middle School… Our thoughts and prayers go out to Cohen’s family, friends, teammates, classmates and the entire staff of MMS.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Cohen’s family and we ask the same of the community, so that his family may find healing, comfort, protection and strength,” Riggs added.
Additional support and services will be available at school for students, staff and athletes on Monday.
Ryan Craddock encourages everyone to hug their kids tonight.
“You can’t believe it,” said Craddock WSAZ. ‘You wish it was a bad dream that you could wake up from. It’s a torture inside. I can’t find the words for it. It’s horrible.’
The grieving father is taking a stand for the so-called Guardian Caps, a recent innovation in waffle helmet coverings that form a soft layer that can significantly reduce the impact of helmet-to-helmet collisions.
According to the NFL, the cap can reduce the force of head contact by 10 percent when worn by one player, and by 20 percent if all players involved in a collision wear one over their helmets.
“I’m willing to take the loss of my boy to protect the other boys,” he said. “I don’t want anyone else to go through what we’re going through.”