Community mourns death of 16-year-old football player

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - A fatal crash in Rockford Thursday night took the life of 16-year-old Mason Hada and tonight his East High School football team took the field honoring their lost teammate.

Rockford East High School was minus one crucial player as they took the field tonight but teammates and family members made sure mason’s memory lives on.

Taking the field at Belvidere North, fans in the stands held signs in honor of Mason. Cheerleaders and band members gave flowers to Mason’s mom and dad on the sidelines and there wasn’t a dry eye in sight.

The family’s pastor David McDaniel says Mason was a one of a kind kid with a big heart. He hopes the community will remember him as the hard working and loving boy that he was.

“He was a great Christian young man, he loved God, he loved his family and he loved his friends and there wasn’t anybody that could say anything bad about Mason, he was just a good kid and he’s gonna be very much missed,” said McDaniel.

Mason’s little brother took the field tonight wearing his number 45 jersey in honor of him. All players on the field took a knee and observed a moment of silence.

No details have been released on what caused the accident at this time. Rockford police are still investigating the incident.

Copyright 2021 WIFR. All rights reserved.