Elijah Gorham: Mervo High School Player Dies After Game Injury

elijah gorham

Facebook Elijah Gorham of Mervo High School

Elijah Gorham was a 18-year-old Mervo High School football player from Maryland who died after being injured during a game.

He was remembered by family members as a respectful young man who loved the game of football.

“We’re saddened to hear about the loss of one of our students and community members. Our thoughts go out to Elijah’s family and the Mustang community,” Baltimore City Public Schools wrote on Twitter. The full name of the school is Baltimore’s Mergenthaler Vocational Technical High School. Gorham was a wide receiver on the high school football team.

Here’s what you need to know:


Gorham Was Injured in a September Game Against Dunbar High School


According to Fox Baltimore, Gorham died after he suffered a brain injury during a game on September 18, 2021. He was hospitalized, but died on October 11, 2021. The game was against Dunbar High School.

Mervo High School confirmed Gorham’s death in a tweet on October 11, 2021, writing, “Our hearts are heavy today as we mourn the passing of our fellow brother, and teammate Elijah Gorham. We ask that our football community continue to uplift Elijah’s family, teammates and friends in prayer.”

The school wrote on September 19, “Congrats to @AthleticsDunbar for a hard fought game all the way to the end. We absolutely put on for our City yesterday. Currently Our hearts, minds & prayers are with one of our young men. We ask everyone in our Coaching/Player community,to continue to pray & ask for restoration.”

You can watch the second half of the game in question here.

His mother Shantres Shaw told WBAL-TV that Gorham played football since age 3 and wanted to play in college.

“Elijah is amazing and I love my son. I miss him,” Shaw said to the television station.”Football was his life. He was loyal to it. He loved the game, everything about football — the loyalty, the brotherhood, the teamwork,” Shaw said.

The specific nature of his injury was not immediately clear. “We knew he was in a medically induced coma and we were under the impression that things were progressing satisfactorily,” Mervo coach Patrick Nixon said to Daily Beast. “So today is a bit of a shock for us because we didn’t anticipate this.” The coach told Daily Beast that Gorham was “really was a good kid through and through.”


Gorham Was Described as Loving Photography & ‘the Game of Football’

Brandon Scott, the mayor of Baltimore, tweeted, “Elijah Gorham was more than a @HighMervo student athlete. He was a young man full of promise with an infectious spirit. Elijah’s passing is an unspeakable tragedy. My heart goes out to his family and our @MustangGang410 community. #7strong #mustangpride Blue heart.”

Diane Westley wrote on Facebook, “To my heart and prayers go out to my cousin Shantres Shaw. Her youngest child passed away today Elijah Gorham in the hospital. He died from a football brain injury. He loved photography and love the game of football at Mervo High School. He was a child that never gave his mother any problems and a very respectful young man. Love you cousin, we are here for you.❤🙏🏽👀😇”

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