A teen football star in South Carolina died during ACL surgery, the day after he accepted a college scholarship to play for Wingate University.
Spartanburg High School Senior Nick Dixon died Friday, a day after he committed to play for Wingate, WSPA-TV reported.
The young player went into surgery Friday morning for a torn ACL and meniscus, but suffered complications that took his life. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Dixon played on Spartanburg’s football team where he was team captain. The 18-year-old competed in the Shrine Bowl last year along with the best players in the Carolinas.
“Nick was a wonderful student, wonderful athlete,” Spartanburg School District 7 Superintendent Dr. Russell Booker told the media. “Nick was part of our Viking early college program early on his high school career, which means he was already earning some college credits.
“His mom’s taking it, you know, hard as expected. His stepfather is taking it hard, brothers and sisters,” family friend Primes Woodruff said.
“You can tell a lot about our young people with what they post on social media, and if you take some time and look at his, all you will find is him encouraging different people,” Superintendent Booker said. “His last post – he posted something that said, ‘not done yet.’ The was encouraging somebody back in November where he says ‘God always has a plan.’ I want all of us to take heart in Nick’s words that God always has a plan.
“A vigil for Dixon is planned for Sunday at 6 p.m. on the football field,” WSPA reported.
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston.
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