HS Football Star Dies Day After Committing to College
The crowning achievement of a successful childhood for a kid is getting into the college of his or her choice. This is true whether it’s an academic acceptance letter or an athlete picking a school to commit to after being recruited.
Unfortunately for Spartanburg, South Carolina, football player Nick Dixon, it would prove to be his final achievement.
Dixon died Friday from complications related to surgery to repair a torn ACL and meniscus in his knee just a day after committing to Wingate University on a football scholarship, WLTX-TV in Columbia reported.
Dixon was one of the top young football players in South Carolina, competing in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas high school all-star game as part of the recruiting process.
As Russell Booker, school superintendent of Spartanburg County District 7, pointed out, that “means he was one of the most elite athletes in his position.”
Or “positions,” since the 6-foot, 240-pound Dixon played linebacker, defensive line and running back for Spartanburg High.
Booker also noted that Dixon wasn’t just a one-dimensional “jock”; his academics were first-rate as well.
“Nick was a wonderful student, wonderful athlete,” said Booker. “Nick was part of our Viking early college program early during his high school career, which means he was already earning some college credits.”
Friend of the family Primes Woodruff has been acting as sort of a family spokesman during these difficult times, and Woodruff eulogized Dixon in a statement to WLTX.
“He took to this community so strongly — not just as an athlete but the pride he found in this community,” Woodruff said. “It’s always a shock to people when someone so young and so vibrant loses their life.”
This is especially true when the death is from a seemingly minimal-risk procedure like knee surgery.
The county coroner reported that Dixon lost his life at Spartanburg Medical Center a little after 3 p.m. on Friday. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
Said Woodruff about the family’s response, “His mom’s taking it, you know, hard as expected. His stepfather is taking it hard, brothers and sisters.”
Booker noted Dixon’s impact on the community at Spartanburg High.
“I’m broken-hearted that I’m not going to shake his hand in May and give him that diploma,” said Booker. “As we have two thousand students coming to school on Monday they’re going to be heartbroken.”
Wingate, meanwhile, will bring Dixon’s jersey — one he sadly will never get to wear for a down of competitive football — to Spartanburg High on National Signing Day.
Meanwhile, Dixon’s coaches and teammates talked about his impact on the football team.
speechless…rest in peace to my brother nick dixon. a great football player, but an even better guy. watch over us, ND7. love ya bro ?@Nickk_Dix38 pic.twitter.com/SBjBMZWv0s
— Andrew Brown ™ (@Andrew_Brown_) January 11, 2019
“He could go anywhere he wanted to as far as school,” Spartanburg coach Chris Miller said. “He was very intelligent. He was a smart young man. And on the field, when Nick wanted to play, he flipped that switch and nobody could stop him. There was proof of that at the Shrine Bowl. He was going toe-to-toe with the big guys until he got his knee hurt, and he even tried to go a couple plays after that.”
Dixon’s last tweet showed off just what potential he had as an athlete.
Not done yet ? pic.twitter.com/vV6C5bB53M
— Nick Dixon (@Nickk_Dix38) December 30, 2018
“You can tell a lot about our young people with what they post on social media, and if you take some time and look at his, all you will find is him encouraging different people,” Booker said. “His last post — he posted something that said, ‘Not done yet.’ He was encouraging somebody back in November where he says, ‘God always has a plan.’
“I want all of us to take heart in Nick’s words that God always has a plan.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
