LOS ANGELES – Tributes poured in on Wednesday morning after Alabama A&M’s athletic department announced the death of a Southern California native who had suffered severe injuries in a football game last month.
The historically Black college’s athletic director honored the student-athlete as “a remarkable young man whose positive energy, leadership, and compassion left an indelible mark on everyone who knew him.”
This announcement sparked an outpouring of grief.
Rival Grambling State, where the young man had previously transferred from, expressed condolences and prayers on X.
Even the student’s former high school coach in Southern California expressed his “grief and disbelief” over the passing of the 20-year-old.
However, Medrick Burnett Jr., a Lakewood, Calif., resident and former Mayfair High School standout, was still alive.
The reason why he was mistakenly reported as dead, and how the false news spread to outlets like ESPN and the Associated Press, remains unclear.
Burnett is currently listed as stable but on life support, Alabama A&M confirmed Wednesday. The university retracted its earlier statement, apologized, and issued a new one.
“We deeply regret spreading false information; however, we are overjoyed to confirm that Medrick remains in stable condition,” the statement said.
Alabama A&M officials said they had been informed by an immediate family member on Tuesday evening about Burnett’s passing. The school had communicated this to the public at the family’s request.
The university did not disclose who they had spoken to.
However, they did confirm that staff from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital, where Burnett is being treated, notified them Wednesday that he was still alive.
Burnett, a redshirt freshman linebacker, was injured during a kickoff on October 26 in a rivalry game against Alabama State, which Alabama A&M lost 27-19.
His sister, Dominece James, wrote on a GoFundMe page that Burnett suffered “severe injuries after a head-on-head collision.”
She shared that he had multiple brain bleeds and swelling, leading to a craniotomy, a procedure to remove part of the skull to relieve pressure on the brain.
The family had hoped to raise $100,000 for medical bills, housing for visiting family, and other expenses.
“Please pray, [Burnett] is having a tough time but we are holding on till the very end,” James wrote in an update Wednesday. “God give us strength so we can keep the faith.”
An email to James was not immediately returned.
His Mayfair High School football coach, Derek Bedell, said he spoke at length with Burnett’s father on Tuesday night. Both believed Burnett had passed away at that time.
“Everybody was hopeful until last night, and the report of his death was a tremendous shock to all,” Bedell said. “I think his father consoled me more than I consoled him.”
Bedell mentioned receiving calls throughout the day from former teammates and coaches who had played with Burnett.
The former St. John Bosco transfer played two years as a linebacker and running back at Mayfair, graduating in 2023.
“Medrick is an incredible spirit, and I know it’s a cliche but he had a zest for life,” Bedell said. “He was a fantastic person in the locker room and a leader.”
In his senior year, Burnett led the Monsoons with 525 yards and seven rushing touchdowns while also recording 104 tackles, including five for a loss.
He transferred from Grambling State in Louisiana to Alabama A&M this year.
“I’m not really sure what happened with the information around his death,” Bedell said. “I just hope that he’ll continue to recover.”
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