BURLINGTON, N.C. — A Triad mother is speaking for the first time following the sudden death of her son.
15-year-old Malik Mebane died at the hospital after collapsing at football practice at Cummings High School in Burlington on Monday.
WFMY News 2's Giselle Thomas sat down with Malik's mother. She described her son as a gentle giant.
Kalicia Mebane said she lost her son too soon.
"I feel like I haven't come to the full realization that this is my new reality... without my baby," she shared.
Mebane said her son loved to cook, draw, and play football.
She said his love for the sport ran in her family, and Malik couldn't contain his excitement when he joined the Cummings High School varsity football team this season.
"He was excited, his bigger brother played football all the time," she said, "He wanted to be like his brother."
She recalled Monday as a normal day. Malik got ready for school and texted her about how he would get home.
Tragically, he never made it.
His mother said during football practice she got a call that her son collapsed.
"I do not want my son's life to be misrepresentative about how his life ended. He died giving his all during practice on the field. He was running, sprinting, and trying to do his best." she said.
The district said an athletic trainer gave Malik CPR and then EMS took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. A reality his mother said the family cannot bear.
"I wanted see my baby grow up and have a family," Mebane cried out, " His siblings are taking it hard and they never expected growing up without him."
Mebane said faith and support from the community is keeping her strong. As she bravely faces each day without her middle child.
"As a parent you want to go before your children, you don't want to bury your child," she shared.
Mebane said her son was looking forward to playing at Cummings homecoming game, which was pushed back to Monday because of weather.
She said Malik had already picked out his team number and ahead of the game the school plans to host a moment of silence in his memory and present the family with his shirt.