Alabama A&M university mistakenly announced the death of one of its football players – before backtracking and confirming that he is very much still alive.
The school’s athletics team wrongly declared on Wednesday that Medrick Burnett Jr, 20, had died weeks after he was seriously injured during a game.
The now-deleted statement from Alabama A&M athletic director Dr Paul A. Bryant read: “Today, our Bulldog family is heartbroken by the loss of Medrick Burnett Jr.
“Medrick was more than an exceptional athlete; he was a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.
“While words cannot adequately express our grief, we are humbled by the strength of his family, who stood by his side throughout this unimaginable ordeal.”
The statement went on to offer condolences to the linebacker’s family and teammates.
But hours later, the athletics team walked back the announcement, confirming that Burnett is still alive.
“We retract the news of the passing of Medrick Burnett Jr, that was originally advised by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening,” it said in a statement on X.
“Our staff acted accordingly to the wishes of the family member to inform the A&M community and beyond of this unfortunate occurrence.”
The college expressed its “immediate regret for disseminating false information.”
The star linebacker, known as “Meddy,” has been hospitalized for the last month after suffering a serious head injury during a game against Alabama State at Magic City stadium in Birmingham, Alabama, on October 26.
According to a GoFundMe page, set up to help the 20-year-old in his recovery, Burnett took a serious knock in a “head-on-head collision” with another player.
He remains in “stable condition” in hospital, said AAMU.
