Damon Janes, a 16-year-old high school running back from Brocton, N.Y., died Monday after suffering a helmet-to-helmet hit in a game on Friday night.
Following the third-quarter collision, Janes was unable to get to the sideline under his own power. He collapsed on the field and the game was called off. Janes was taken to a nearby hospital in Buffalo, but never regained consciousness.
"Damon W. Janes, 16, a junior who attended Brocton Central School, lost his fight and went to be with the Lord following his injury resulting from a helmet-to-helmet collision during a Westfield/Brocton varsity football game," an official statement from Women & Children's Hospital at Buffalo and the Janes family stated. "His parents wish to express their gratitude to those who have supported and prayed for Damon and his family, and continue to request that their privacy be respected at this time."
Brocton has canceled all sporting events and homecoming activities this week and will make counseling available to all students.
According to the National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research at the University of North Carolina, 25 high school players have died playing football from 2003 to 2012. Over the same time period, 78 suffered irreversible brain damage, and 71 received "catastrophic" cervical injuries.
