Alabama A&M linebacker Medrick Burnett Jr. is still in the hospital after suffering a severe head injury in the Magic City Classic, and a crowdfunding effort has been set up to assist with medical expenses.
Burnett suffered the injury while defending an Alabama State kickoff return. While charging toward the Hornets’ returner, he gets lost among a pile of people, seemingly colliding with another player, causing the injury.
“His 20th birthday was October 27th and one of the worst birthdays for us because he was in ICU and not doing well,” said his family in a public message. “He had several brain bleeds and swelling of the brain. He had to have a tube to drain to relieve the pressure, and after [two] days of severe pressure, we had to opt for a craniotomy, which was the last result to help try to save his life.”
In addition to a GoFundMe, Alabama A&M has set up an Emergency Fund to help pay for his craniotomy surgery. As of Monday, $16,484 has been raised toward the $100,000 goal.
The money will also be used to help his parents, who live 2,000 miles away from where Burnett is hospitalized, get temporary housing so they may be by his side throughout this process.
“At the end of the day, we play a game, but his life is on the line, and that’s on our hearts, and that’s on the players’ hearts. Unless you’ve had someone in that situation, you don’t know what it does to a person. So, we just [have] to keep praying.” said Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor.