An Alabama high school football player has died after he was struck by an 18-wheeler while attempting to cross an interstate.
Ke’Maurion Porter, 18, was a senior linebacker at Hillcrest High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, at the time of his death. The fatal accident occurred on Sunday, September 13, moments after Porter was involved in a separate car crash.
He exited his vehicle and attempted to cross the highway when the truck hit him, according to AL.com. Porter was taken to Evergreen Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The accident remains under investigation.
“It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the tragic loss of one of our students. Ke’Maurion Porter, a Grade 12 student at our school, passed away on Sept. 13th,” Hillcrest High principal Briana Hall announced via Facebook on Monday, September 14. “Our entire school community mourns this loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with Ke’Maurion’s family and friends.”
Hillcrest High School was closed on Monday due to Porter’s death. Classes resumed on Tuesday, September 15, as, Hall said, the school district’s crisis response team was on-hand to assist students and staff. Counselors and mental health professionals will be available “for as long as they are needed.”
“Children process grief in many different ways,” she wrote. “Over the next few days, your child may experience sleeplessness, anxiety, sadness, or a desire to talk about death. We encourage you to listen to them openly and validate their feelings.”
Former Hillcrest head coach Justin Nared wrote in a text message to AL.com that Porter “was an extremely hardworking young man with a big personality and an even bigger heart.”
“He grew up in Conecuh County, spent some time in Andalusia and later transferred to Hillcrest his junior year,” he wrote. “Because of his strong family ties in this area, so many people already knew him and knew the kind of young man he was. He loved football, he loved the weight room and he loved to work. He carried himself with confidence, believed in himself and brought energy wherever he went.”
Porter transferred from Andalusia High School, which also released a statement on Monday.
“Andalusia High School extends our deepest condolences to the family of former Bulldog student-athlete Ke’Maurion Porter, affectionately known as ‘Phat,’” the school wrote via Facebook. “As a Bulldog, Ke’Maurion made an impact on the people around him. We will remember his big heart, the way he cared for others, and the personality that could bring light and laughter into a room. His time at AHS was part of his story, and he will always be a part of the Bulldog family.”
