{"id":76724,"date":"2022-09-24T11:27:11","date_gmt":"2022-09-24T11:27:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/xavier-mcclain-a-new-jersey-high-school-football-player-dies-nearly-two-weeks-after-he-was-critically-injured-in-a-game-school-district-says\/"},"modified":"2022-09-24T11:27:11","modified_gmt":"2022-09-24T11:27:11","slug":"xavier-mcclain-a-new-jersey-high-school-football-player-dies-nearly-two-weeks-after-he-was-critically-injured-in-a-game-school-district-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/xavier-mcclain-a-new-jersey-high-school-football-player-dies-nearly-two-weeks-after-he-was-critically-injured-in-a-game-school-district-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Xavier McClain: A New Jersey high school football player dies nearly two weeks after he was ‘critically injured’ in a game, school district says"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n CNN<\/span>
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A high school football player died nearly two weeks after he was \u201ccritically injured\u201d during a football game, the Linden, New Jersey, Public School District said in a statement.\n <\/p>\n

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XavierClain,16, a sophomore playing for the Linden Tigers varsity boys football team when he said a head injury during a game on September 9, Linden Mayor Derek Armstead told CNN.\n <\/p>\n

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Xavier’s parents told CNN affiliate WABC-TV they regularly attended their son’s games but missed the one where he was injured \u2013 something they say they will have to live with.\n <\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was in every sport, social, bright, gifted, and talented,\u201d Lisa McClain, the teen’s mother, told the affiliate. \u201cAnd I’m never going to see him graduate from high school.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

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\u201cHe was only sixteen, he had his whole life ahead of him,\u201d said his father, Norm McClain, adding that he hopes such an injury does not happen to any other player.\n <\/p>\n

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Mayor Armstead said he was close to Xavier’s family, telling CNN his children played with both Xavier and his brother in a basketball league.\n <\/p>\n

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In a post on Instagram, Armstead said Xavier “fought a good fight” but ultimately succumbed to the injuries sustained.\n <\/p>\n

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\u201cThis news hurts because I have known his parents, Lisa and Norm for years, Xavier and Andres, their two sons, since they were little boys,\u201d Armstead said in the post. \u201cNorm and Lisa are devastated. Children are supposed to outlive their parents, not the other way around.\u201d\n <\/p>\n

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The school district has set up counseling support for students, staff and families and was continuing to offer \u201cprayers and support\u201d to Xavier’s family, according to their statement.\n <\/p>\n

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The district has also planned to hold a moment of silence and a reading about Xavier ahead of Friday’s football game, which was rescheduled from a day earlier to \u201cgive the team (an) extra day to come together with their loss,\u201d the statement said .\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n