GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County teen is in the ICU after collapsing and suffering a brain bleed at the end of a football game, his family says.
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Oheneba “OJ” Appiah, a 17-year-old linebacker for Archer High School, is known for his impactful plays on the football field and his warm personality off it.
“He is honestly a teddy bear,” said Joanna Paradiso, his sister. “He’s like the sweetest, most innocent thing.”
On November 15, after OJ celebrated a game win, he collapsed just minutes after the game ended in Cobb County. His sister says he told his coach he felt dizzy before collapsing.
“He barely had a pulse and had to be rushed to the hospital as soon as possible,” she said.
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Doctors discovered OJ had suffered a severe brain bleed, requiring emergency surgery to remove part of his skull.
“He sustained a really bad hit during the game, and it just manifested minutes later,” said his sister.
OJ was placed on life support with a ventilator at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital. However, his family says he has since made progress, breathing on his own and communicating with hand movements and eye gestures.
“I’m so grateful that he’s here. It could have been a lot worse,” Paradiso said. “The more prayers, the more of a miracle we will continue to get.”
The family has started an online fundraiser to help with mounting medical expenses. Click here to donate.
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