A small West Virginia community is grieving the loss of an eighth-grade student who tragically died following an accident during a football practice. Cohen Craddock, 13, was injured while playing defense and lost consciousness after a collision with teammates. He sustained a brain bleed and swelling, leading to oxygen deprivation. Cohen passed away on Saturday, just a day after the incident.

Cohen’s father, Ryan Craddock, shared the heartache of losing his son, describing the experience as a nightmare he wished he could wake from. Ryan expressed pride in his son, who had just started eighth grade and was known for his kindness and love of making friends, whether at football practice or church.

In the wake of this tragedy, the Craddock family is advocating for increased safety measures for young athletes, specifically promoting the use of Guardian Caps—soft-shell helmets designed to reduce the impact of collisions. Ryan believes that if Cohen had worn a Guardian Cap, the outcome might have been different. He is committed to pushing for the adoption of these helmets, starting locally and potentially moving to state or national levels, in hopes of sparing other families from similar heartache.

Rest in peace, Cohen Craddock. His family and friends remain in our thoughts.