Elliott offers to pay for funeral of teen football star killed at party
Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has offered to cover the funeral costs for Jaylon McKenzie, a 14-year-old football player who was struck and killed by a stray bullet while leaving a party in Illinois on Saturday night.
McKenzie's mother, Sukeena Gunner, told Erin O'Neill-Hayes of 5 On Your Side on Wednesday that Elliott reached out to the family after hearing about her son's death. She said McKenzie would often watch Elliott to help improve his own skills.
Tragedy in STL this wkd as 8th-grade football phenom was killed by a stray bullet. I’ve learned Ezekiel Elliott (from the area) reached out to the family to cover the funeral costs. Kind gesture from someone who continues to grow off the field. Sad story: https://t.co/PMUSJOXOHJ
— Ben Rogers (@BenRogers) May 8, 2019
Elliott was born Alton, Ill., and went to high school at John Burroughs School in Ladue, Mo.
McKenzie, who attended Central Junior High in Belleville, Ill., had scholarship offers from Missouri and Illinois. He was one of six young athletes featured in Sports Illustrated's Future Issue in November 2018 and dreamed of making it to the NFL one day.