Pike County's Thomas dies less than 48 hours after collapsing; overwhelming reaction from area, state
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
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Only a few hours after about a thousand people, hundreds of whom he’d never met, gathered on his football field to pray for him, Dylan Thomas died.
The Pike County junior died at around 8 p.m. Sunday at Grady Memorial Hospital after multiple surgeries to reduce the swelling in his brain almost 48 hours after he collapsed on his home football field in a game against Peach County.
Thomas had been put into a medically induced coma.
Grief counselors will be made available at Pike County for students.
When what proved to be the fatal hit took place is uncertain. Reports are that it may have taken place in the second quarter, and the game was called with 2:47 left in the third quarter.
Peach County head coach Chad Campbell said early Sunday afternoon that a look on video at several plays before Thomas collapsed didn’t show any hit or play out of the ordinary, nothing that stood at as a particularly physical play. He said that on Thomas’s final play, the defender appeared a little unsteady at the snap of the ball.
Peach County trainer Tripp Youngblood was among the first to reach Thomas, who was helped to the sideline. He remained conscious, but then fell off a bench unconscious. He was transported to a local hospital and then airlifted to Grady.
“I heard that he was saying that he wasn’t feeling right,” Nick Burgess, his uncle, told WSB-TV of Atlanta. “And then that’s when his left leg and left arm went numb, and he pretty much fell off the bench.
“(Doctors have) done pretty much everything they can.”
There had been social media reports of a hip injury.
The sad outcome appeared to be only a matter of time earlier Sunday.
Burgess posted on Facebook Saturday night that the next 12 hours, meaning into Sunday, would offer an indication of Thomas’s condition.
“Things are not looking good at all. I can't even describe the pain I am feeling. we will know the outcome in 12 hours. Dylan Thomas is in very critical condition we will not know anything for another 12 hours. whether he will pull through or not as of right now his brain is still swelling even if he does pull through chances are he will not be the same.”
At 12:41 p.m. Sunday, he posted that “Nothing more can be done for Dylan Thomas it is all up to GOD and Dylan's fight to live at this point he still in very critical condition. Doctors have done everything they possibly can so please keep praying.”
The Pike County Journal-Reporter posted a photo gallery of the vigil on its Facebook page.
The Pike County Times had a short video of people gathering on the field.
The team emerged from the fieldhouse in rows, players locking arms, to “Amazing Grace” over the loudspeaker and carrying his jersey.
There was an impromptu gathering at the football stadium after word emerged of his death.
Pike County is in the same region with Peach County, Westside, Central, and Rutland, as well as Jackson and Kendrick. Pike County is scheduled to play Rutland this Friday at the Ed DeFore Sports Complex.