ANNAPOLIS, MD (Bleacher Report/ CNN, March 23, 2014)- Navy freshman football player and Third Company member Will McKamey is in a coma after collapsing during practice Saturday in Annapolis, Md.
According to The Baltimore Sun‘s Don Markus, the 19-year-old slotback was airlifted off the practice field after taking a hit and underwent surgery for a brain clot at Maryland Shock Trauma Center not long after.
Both of McKamey’s parents took to social media to update Will’s status Saturday night. His mother, Kara, posted the following statement on Facebook, “Friends and family, it is difficult to even send updates at this point as my body and mind just feel numb. I will try my best to keep everyone posted because I know you all love us and your prayers are so needed and appreciated. As of now Will is showing very little response. He is in a coma currently. In the past several hours since surgery we are seeing some very small improvements and reactions to light etc. We are hanging on to every small thing. We know those small improvements are a DIRECT result of the prayers going up to our Heavenly Father. Please continue praying for his body to fight to recover! We are once again amazed at the love and support of our Grace family, our friends, and loved ones. This time around we also have an Amazing Navy family that have shown an overwhelming pouring in of love and prayers as well! I say the more prayer warriors the better! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”
The Naval Academy released a statement Saturday, per NavySports.com: “The entire Naval Academy family is shaken by the turn of events and we are providing all the support we can to Will and his family.”
A former standout at Grace Christian Academy in Knoxville, Tenn., McKamey was a two-time All-State selection and was also named Class A Mr. Football for the state of Tennessee as a senior in 2012, per NavySports.com.
According to Markus, McKamey experienced a similar event during a game back in 2012, when he collapsed during a two-point conversion. Afterward, McKamey spent several days in an intensive care unit in a Chattanooga hospital. He avoided surgery, but his high school playing career ended as a result.
In 2013, McKamey made appearances in junior varsity games at Navy.
