Thoughts and prayers pour out to Alabama as the community mourns the death of high school quarterback Caden Tellier

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – People share their grief after the death of 16-year-old quarterback Caden Tellier after an injury on the football field in Selma, Alabama.

Tellier suffered a brain injury during Friday's game at Morgan Academy.

Tellier's mother wrote on social media that her son's way of life had touched many people and that his death could now save lives.

A GoFundMe campaign set up in Caden's honor reveals that he was an organ donor, and now prayers are pouring in for him from across the country.

“We just can't imagine the difficult times they are going through. Our thoughts and prayers are with them,” said Auburn head coach Hugh Freeze.

Coach Freeze expressed his support at Monday's press conference, but if anyone can understand the pain the Tellier family is going through, it's Alan Dodson and his family.

They lost their son Andrew to a traumatic brain injury during a spring 2023 practice game at Kentucky. Dodson says his son was tackled in exemplary fashion, but his head bounced off the artificial turf.

“He walked back about 12 yards to the attack pile and went down until he had his hands on his knees. Then, after just a second or two, he fell face down and immediately went into a seizure,” Dodson says.

Dodson says the family is channeling their grief in a positive direction. They have established a foundation in honor of their son and are working to improve safety on the field.

“If I could, I would make all football players wear one-sided protective caps during practice and games. Without a second's thought, I would make the decision that they must do so.”

Dodson says his son's first home was in Eufaula, Alabama, and Tellier's story touches him deeply.

Dodson says tragedies like his son's and Tellier's show that additional conversations about safety are needed and that we all need to support the Tellier family now.

“In situations like this, you often don't have the words. You just come to a family and say, 'I'm just here to tell you that I love you, that I support you, that I'm praying for you.' That means the world to me.”

If you are interested in donating to the For GoFundMe you can click here.

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