From The Tribune staff reports
MONTGOMERY — For Lee-Montgomery football player Dimitri McKee, the fall 2021 football season will never come. The 6-feet, 4-inch, 385-pound offensive lineman collapsed after practice on Tuesday and later died.
According to al.com, which first broke the story, coaches noticed that McKee was struggling around 7:45 p.m. Thursday. They applied ice to his back and transported him to an area hospital by 8:15 p.m. Even though McKee survived the initial incident, he remained hospitalized. He died Friday.
McKee was a strong prospect going into the 2021 season. He had already received an athletic scholarship offer from Troy University, according to posts on his Twitter account.
The Lee Generals football team put out a statement on social media mourning the passing of their friend and teammate.
“Ann Street faithful, with a heavy heart the Generals announce the passing of another member of the Fami-Lee,” the Twitter post states. “Dimitri ‘BIG MEECH’ McKee has joined Lee’s players and leaders now looking over Ann Street. Please keep his family, teammates and Coaches in your thoughts and prayers.”
The Alabama High School Athletics Association responded to the news as well.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the McKee family and to Dimitri’s coaches and teammates at Lee High School, its faculty and student body for their tragic loss,” said AHSAA Executive Director Alvin Briggs. “We offer our deepest sympathies and pray God will sustain each of them in this time of such great sadness.”