Youth football player remembered
Gathering in Windgap mourns Jordan Duckett, who collapsed, died at practice
Standing 6 feet tall, weighing 185 pounds and fitting into a size- 13 shoe, 13- year- old Jordan Duckett would have been a match for anyone his age.
But the “gentle giant,” as officials for the youth football league he played in described him, was always careful to avoid hurting others despite his obvious physical abilities.
“When I [ first] looked at him, and he had a size- 13 shoe at 12 years old, and he stood 6 feet tall, I said, ‘ Damn,’” said Marty Langford, president of the Westside Youth Athletic Association. “We still didn’t know what we had because he was so meek and quiet. But as time went by, he fed off his teammates. And the first game of the season last week, Jordan was wrecking. That dog came out in him.”
Jordan collapsed while running off the field during a team practice Wednesday night at Chartiers Playground in Windgap and died at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. The Allegheny County medical examiner’s office has not ruled on a cause or manner of death, but Jordan’s mother suspects he went into cardiac arrest after repeatedly taking hits during practice.
About 150 children, including other football players and cheerleaders, watched as medics tended to Jordan on the field before taking him to the hospital, according to Mr. Langford. It was a difficult situation for them, as well as league coaches and other parents.
In response, Mr. Langford helped organize a gathering Thursday night at Chartiers Playground where community members heard from and could speak to clergy and crisis professionals.
“I know there’s a lot for these kids and parents and coaches to deal with mentally,” Mr. Langford said. “I’m telling you, it’s not as easy as you would think. It’s definitely not as easy as you would think. I’m grown, and I ain’t cried this much — [ it’s] like I lost one of my own.”
Laken Duckett, Jordan’s mother, told the crowd of more than 100 at the gathering about her son: the straight- A student who never got in trouble at school and never talked back to anyone — well, anyone except his mother.
“We always went back and forth because he liked to negotiate,” Ms. Duckett said, laughing. “If there was something I really wanted him to do, I would have to give him a V- buck card for [ the video game] Fortnite. A V- buck card and a pizza, and he’d do anything I asked him to do.
“He took care of his mother. He took care of his sisters,” Ms. Duckett continued. “I’m
going to be honest — and I’ll say this to my dying day — it may appear that I raised him, but he raised me. He has helped me form into the woman I am today. He’s made me fearless.”
Though there were some lighter moments as Ms. Duckett addressed the crowd, many people at the gathering, including a large contingent of Jordan’s teammates on the Westside Mustangs, wiped tears from their eyes while listening to her and others speak.
Mr. Langford presented Ms. Duckett with Jordan’s No. 9 football jersey and told her it will never again be worn by anyone on the team.
Ms. Duckett, who noted that Jordan was a faithful Christian even at his young age, said it was OK that he would never get a chance to wear the jersey again.
“That’s fine, because my son’s wearing a robe now,” Ms. Duckett said. “He’s in heaven, and he has a robe.”