ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Northeast High School football captain Jacquez Welch was always such a giving person, his mother says. After making the difficult decision to take him off life support, he was able to give the gift of life to five people.
Welch had collapsed during a football game Friday night.
His mother, Marcia Nelson, announced the development during a news conference Monday. He was completely brain dead, she said, with no oxygen or blood going to his brain.
Nelson made the announcement of his organ donations on Facebook.
"They got 5 of my baby organs - Heart, Lungs, Kidneys, Liver and Pancreas - Can't wait to see how this helps someone," she wrote on the post.
Within the first three minutes of the game, Welch was said to be playing "like the champion he was" and ran for about 60 yards to score a touchdown. After a play ended, he did not get up.
Welch's condition was likely congenital, according to the doctors, and it was not due to a tackle or hit.
He wanted to have a 4.0 GPA before he left high school, and his mother said he did just that. Welch, too, had picked up his first college football offer recently from Concordia University.
Welch is hopeful the Vikings will keep on playing, saying she plans on continuing to attend their games.
A GoFundMe page was set up by the football team's coach, Jeremy Frioud, with proceeds already surpassed its initial $10,000 goal.
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