High school football player Malik Mebane, 15, dies after collapsing at practice

A 15-year-old high school football player has tragically died during practice.

Malik Mebane collapsed on the field at Cummings High School in North Carolina on Monday. 

The school’s athletic trainer rushed to give him CPR until an ambulance arrived and took him to hospital, where he later died.

Initial reports suggested that Malik collapsed on his way to practice. However, his mother, Kalicia Mebane, later clarified that her son died doing what he loved on the football field. 

‘Let me get this one thing straight for any and everyone who keeps running with these lies and spreading them. MY SON PASSED AWAY DURING PRACTICE! DURING!!! My baby was out there running sprints GIVING HIS ALL to be apart of Cummings Football Team. That’s the truth,’ Kalicia wrote on a Facebook post. 

‘So all this noise about him collapsing or fainting or whatever the hell people are saying ‘while walking to practice’ or ‘before practice’ is a lie and I don’t appreciate who ever started this false narrative! My baby died GIVING HIS ALL AND YALL NOT GONE TAKE THAT FROM HIM!!’

Mebane was in his first year on the varsity football team at CHS, as the school does not have a JV program. Mebane was a lineman playing on both the offensive and defensive lines. 

The team cancelled football practice on Tuesday. The Cavaliers, 4-1, had a game scheduled against Graham on Thursday. However, no results have been posted on Maxpreps after the team announced potentially not playing the game. 

The Alamance-Burlington School System released a statement, reading: ‘Our District and the school community are heartbroken by this tragic loss. Malik Mebane was a student, an athlete, and a part of our community. As a district, we are committed to supporting our students as they begin to process and cope with their grief. 

Malik’s mother, Kalicia Mebane, clarified that he died on the field after initial reports surfaced 

‘We have a team of counselors and support staff at the school to help our students during this difficult time,’ the statement continued. ‘We’d like to thank the community for their outpouring of love and support for the school and our students as we continue to keep the family and friends of Malik in our thoughts.’ 

Speaking to WFMY2, Kalicia described Malik as a ‘gentle giant’ while speaking on his sudden and early passing. 

‘I feel like I haven’t come to the full realization that this is my new reality… without my baby,’ she shared.  ‘He was excited, his bigger brother played football all the time. He wanted to be like his brother.’ 

‘I do not want my son’s life to be misrepresentative about how his life ended. He died giving his all during practice on the field. He was running, sprinting, and trying to do his best.’ 

‘I wanted see my baby grow up and have a family,’ Mebane cried out, ‘ His siblings are taking it hard and they never expected growing up without him. As a parent you want to go before your children, you don’t want to bury your child.’