Chad Stover, 18 in the red jersey, shown in an earlier game this season against Cole Camp. (pgoto from Chad Stover Facebook page.

Chad Stover, 18 in the red jersey, shown in an earlier game this season against Cole Camp. (photo from Chad Stover Facebook page.

Chad Stover, the Tipton High School football player who sustained massive head injuries in a football game on Halloween night, has died from those injuries. Stover just turned 17 on November 8th.  Tipton High School superintendent Scott Jarvis says the school does not have an official statement at this time and could not provide specific details.

His mother Amy had updated hundreds of followers on the Caringbridge.com website.  One of her last entries came on November 12, saying that Chad has had setbacks each day. The website has received over 21,000 visits. A Facebook page set up for Chad, has over 7,300 followers.  Amy’s final message came late in the day Thursday that was title “Whole Again.”

As most of you know Chad is now whole again with the Lord.  I held my sweet boy as he slipped away early this morning.  There is a hole in my soul that will never be filled.  Just when I think I am out of tears more come to my eyes.  I miss him so much already.  Although Chad is gone from sight he is not gone from mind and soul.  Chad moved many of you to pray, to become closer to God, to hold your family a little tighter every day.  Please in his memory–continue that closer relationship to God.  Pray daily, kneel on the football to pray, rival towns come together as one and remember that in the end it’s only a game.  I have seen so many wonderful, heart warming things from all of you.  We as a family are touched beyond belief.  Pray for people when they hurt…they can really feel it.  Hold your family close and never miss an opportunity to tell your child or loved one that you love them.  Give them a hug or kiss even if they don’t want it.  That is one thing I have no regrets about.  I told my Chad how much I loved him daily…I gave him hugs even when it cramped his style.  I know he passed knowing how very much his family loved and cared for him.  Pray daily, hug tightly and NEVER take one day for granted.  On another note our nurses and hospital staff at Missouri University were just to wonderful for words.  They laughed with us over stories of our boy, they cried with us when the end was near.  I love them all and hope they know what wonderful people they are!  I love you Chad Austin Stover~~forever and always!

Residents in Tipton and surrounding communities and other football teams had started wearing red ribbons, some marked with the number 18, Stover’s jersey number.

Stover suffered a severe head injury with about six minutes to play in the fourth quarter of a game against Sacred Heart-Sedalia.   He was life-flighted to University Hospital in Columbia.  MSHSAA says they would review how the injury was dealt with at the field in Sedalia where the game was played. The association recommends having some type of medical service available at football games, but requires only that each school have an action plan in place to deal with medical emergencies. He said preliminary information indicates the school did follow its action plan.