Tragedy struck a Bay Area college football team after a promising football player died in a car crash over the weekend.
Family members are mourning the loss Ja’Marion Grace, known to family members as “Pop,” who played defensive back at the College of San Mateo.
The freshman, 19, was a passenger in a car that lost control on Highway 101 near the Yerba Buena Road exit in San Jose after 2 a.m. on Sunday, officials said.
Grace was ejected from the car, while two of his teammates who were also in the vehicle were injured in the crash.
Cleveland Browns cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, who played for the College San Mateo in 2017, donated $1,000 to a GoFundMe campaign launched to help cover funeral expenses.
The college paid tribute to Grace on Tuesday, describing him as having “infectious energy.”
“Pop wasn’t just a teammate — he was a brother. He lit up every room he walked into with his infectious energy and smile,” the statement read.
“Whether he was dancing in the locker room, cracking jokes in team meetings, or showing up for his teammates off the field, Pop gave everything he had each and every day.”
Grace’s family gathered at a memorial for Grace held in Vacaville on Tuesday.
“He was a young man trying to find his way, but he was determined. He was dedicated, and he had so much life ahead of him,” his mother, Ashley Grant, told KRON4.
Grace’s team is 3-1 so far this season. The player notched a tackle in the program’s Sept. 12 win over Butte.
