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Although many hoped that the news about Madrick Burnett Jr. wasn't true, unfortunately, it was confirmed yesterday that the 20-year-old linebacker lost his life. Namely, this great American football player died as a result of a severe head injury sustained during the match. Burnett Jr. was a huge prospect of American football in the US, but unfortunately, his career ended tragically.
Burnett played in his A&M Bulldogs' game against Alabama State on October 26. The game, in which Alabama won 27:19, was marked by tragedy when Burnett was carried off the field on a stretcher. Few expected that things would go in such a wrong direction, hoping that the young player would recover from everything.
However, after the reports that came in day after day, there was less and less optimism.
After he suffered a brain hemorrhage and brain tissue swelling, doctors fought for his life for a month, but in the end, unfortunately, they were unable to save him.
Paul A. Bryant, the team's director of athletics, stressed on social media that the Bulldogs' family's hearts are broken, as he was a great young man, with a positive energy, and a person who did great things in sports. His charisma and kindness left a mark on everyone.
"Today, our Bulldogs family is heartbroken by the loss of Madrick Burnett Jr.," said Paul A. Bryant, the team's director of athletics. "Madrick was much more than an outstanding athlete; he was an incredible young man with positive energy and a leader who left an indelible mark on all of us. Words cannot describe our sadness", -Bryant concluded.
After his death, many reacted, sending messages to his family. These are very difficult moments for his family, which seeks privacy.
The linebacker's sister described the difficult moments they were going through on one of the platforms. She pointed out that the doctors did everything they could to help the 20-year-old. Although the family also gave everything they could from their side, unfortunately, Burnett Jr. failed to win this battle.
“He celebrated his 20th birthday on October 27; one of the hardest days for us because he was in the hospital in critical condition. He had severe bleeding on the brain and swollen brain tissue. The doctors had to drain the fluid to reduce the pressure, and we did everything to save his life. He needs a lot of care, and the family needed accommodation to be with him. We begged for help and donations, but, unfortunately, we did not succeed," she said.
Alabama A&M's athletic department reacts
Alabama A&M's athletic department made a huge mistake by earlier confirming his death. It turned out that even at those moments Burnett was still alive, which caused stormy reactions. However, not long after that, Burnett passed away, and Alabama A&M's athletic department decided to take to social media about everything. In the second address, they confirmed that Burnett had unfortunately passed away, emphasizing their regret that they had previously conveyed the wrong information.
"The second statement from the university expressed regret for disseminating false information, adding, “We express our immediate regret for disseminating false information, however, we hold complete joy in knowing that Medrick remains in stable condition.” Unfortunately, Burnett’s condition worsened, and he passed away two days later. "- they wrote.
The match in which Burnett suffered tragic injuries that resulted in his death was one of the most important for his and the opposing team. The linebacker was the backbone of this team and a key player in Alabama A&M's defense. He showed great promise in his debut season, and the forecasts regarding the development of his career were optimistic. Many hoped that the 20-year-old would progress from year to year, and reach the very top. Unfortunately, we are witnessing yet another prematurely lost life, which is a frequent case in the world of sports lately. Alabama A&M University teammates, family, and many others expressed their condolences, shocked by what happened.
It will take some time for his teammates, and everyone close to him, to accept this tragic event.
This is just another confirmation of how dangerous American football is, and what consequences can arise due to aggressive play and the rules of this sport. Despite this, this sport has a large fan base and is one of the most popular sports in the world.
There have been many such cases in the past, which is why the emphasis is often placed on safety in this sport. Although it is really difficult to ensure such conditions when it comes to this sport, it is clear that leaders should work on this plan.
We hope we don't witness situations like this in the future, as this is the last thing anyone wants.
English (US)