West Virginia middle school football player dies of head injury during practice

A 13-year-old in West Virginia died over the weekend after suffering a head injury during a middle school football practice.

Eighth-grader Cohen Craddock, who played on the defensive line at Madison Middle School in Madison, suffered severe brain bleeding and swelling after a tackle on Friday.

He got up after the first play, but then collapsed after just a few steps. He was taken to the hospital and his father said his oxygen levels were low during the ride.

“You wish it was a bad dream that you could wake up from,” said his father, Ryan Craddock.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Craddock said he now wants to work towards getting softshell helmet covers, so-called Guardian Caps, for other players as well.

“I’m willing to take the loss of my boy to protect the other boys,” he said. “I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what we’re going through.”

HIGH SCHOOL QUARTERBACK DIES FROM BRAIN INJURY DURING OPENING GAME

Shann Elkins, principal of Madison Middle School, said the eighth-grader was “a wonderful, polite and smart young man who was an important part of our school family.”

Craddock’s death occurred the same weekend as a similar incident involving a high school quarterback in southern Alabama and is the latest in a series of deaths linked to football games among teenagers.

The boy’s father calls on others to wear Guardian Caps. (Ric Tapia/Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Morgan Academy junior quarterback Caden Tellier died Saturday after suffering a head injury in the third quarter of his team’s season-opening victory at Alabama.

Just nine days earlier, 14-year-old New Brockton High School freshman Semaj Wilkins died on 15 August after collapsing during a practice in Alabama.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.