INDIANAPOLIS — A community is mourning the loss of an up-and-coming football star whose life was cut short after a weekend crash. The Hamilton Southeastern Royals family filled the football stadium to honor No. 15, Mason Alexander.
A name that brought this stadium so much cheer on Friday night is now being honored in a way no one had ever imagined.
"You know, you cry it all out the first two days, and then you just in drought. It's just something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy for sure," Tayshon Bardo, Alexandar’s teammate, said.
Saturday night, while riding in the passenger seat of a BMW, the car Alexander was in lost control, swerved off the road and hit a tree.
"I was supposed to be with him. After I got off work, we were going to meet up," Patrick Kailie, Alexander’s best friend, said.
Alexander, at just 18-years-old, died at the scene.
"I think the reality of the moment hasn't yet hit. I think that's still to come," Coach Michael Kelly said.
Kelly reflected on watching Alexander grow as an athlete over the years.
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"He grew significantly from his freshman year through sophomore year. He always was fast, he was always physical, and he would say, 'I'm a hitter," Kelly said. "He's a guy who wanted to make contact and enjoyed making contact, and that's kind of what set him apart from others."
The four-star recruit graduated from Hamilton Southeastern early, enrolled and signed to play for the University of Pittsburgh on a full football scholarship.
"Since I started playing football, I played football with Mason. We've always been on the same team, so we've always trained together. We've done almost everything together. But, I mean, I wasn't planning on playing football in college, that was Mason's thing. But I got to keep living life for him," Kailie said.
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"If you were here at games, you'd see him dancing around. He just had fun. And that's what we remember most about," Kelly said.
"We're at a place that Mason loved. He was a track athlete and a football athlete. Did great things in both, he's a state champion in the 400-meter relay, and so he's a track kid. Full-ride scholarship to Pitt, earned that scholarship right there on that field. I can think of no better place to celebrate his 18 years than right here at Hamilton Southeastern," Jim Self, Athletic Director at Hamilton Southeastern Schools, said.
Hundreds showed up to honor Alexander Monday evening. No funeral arrangements have been made at this time.
