Communities show support for injured Tipton football player

From California, Mo. to Columbia, communities across central Missouri are rallying behind the Tipton teenager injured in a football game last week.

Chad Stover collapsed with just minutes left in a game against Sacred Heart in Sedalia. As of Monday night, he remains in critical condition at University Hospital.

Since the injury, Mid-Missouri has shown an outpouring of support for the teen.

Tipton has red ribbons tied all over town with no post or sign too big or too small to show support.

And past Tipton, California also had ribbons tied to their high school marquee.

The high school football players also traveled more than an hour to see Stover Sunday night. They plan on creating a video for him and visiting him again.

The players are also trying to paint a red and white ribbon with Stover’s number 18 on the field for their playoff game Wednesday. They will begin the game with a moment of silence.

California High School’s athletic Director Bob Staton said these things are the least they can do.

“We want them to know they’re in our hearts and prayers,” he said.

Sacred Heart in Sedalia came to the prayer vigil on Sunday night. Father Tolton Catholic High School in Columbia sent the school a card and offered up a mass for the Stovers.

“This is something that could happen to anyone,” said Fr. Tolton athletic director Chad Masters. “We just need to be there as a bigger community.”

Coaches, players and communities put their rivalries aside to show their support.

Players on the California Pintos said all football players feel like brothers, especially in times of need.

“We don’t care what our team name is when something that serious happens,” Drew Norton said.

Another player on the team felt the same.

“If something like this happened to one of our players, we’d all be there. We want to do the same for him,” Ramiro Garcia said.