Freedom Remembers Jordan Harris, Wharton’s Sean McNamee Goes Home

By Matt Wiley

It’s been a tough few weeks for students at both Freedom and Paul R. Wharton High in New Tampa, as a former Freedom student has passed away and a Wharton football player was in a coma for more than a week.

Jordan Harris

Jordan Harris, a former Freedom student who graduated this past spring, lost his two-year battle with brain cancer on October 16 at the too-young age of 18. A vigil was held for the former Freedom soccer player at the Freedom stadium on the same day as his passing, a vigil that was attended by more than 500 people, according to published reports.

A Facebook. com page entitled “Snapback Against Brain Cancer, Jordan Harris Cause” that was started in November 2012 now has more than 720 “Likes” and serves as a place for friends to post memories and pictures of their late classmate.

Our thoughts and prayers here at the New Tampa Neighborhood News are with Harris’ friends and family.

 

Sean McNamee

Meanwhile, about three weeks after a head injury sustained before football practice resulted in him being put into a medically-induced coma, 16-year-old varsity linebacker and Wharton junior Sean McNamee has returned home, according to published reports.

McNamee had awoken from the coma on October 18, more than a week after the Oct. 9 accident. Published reports state that McNamee hit his head on a paint machine without a helmet before football practice that day after jumping for the ball while playing catch with teammates.

A statement from the Yerrid Law Firm, which is representing the McNamee family in the case, states, “We have requested copies of all of the relevant footage and the attorneys for the School Board have agreed to provide those video copies.” The statement adds, “We have interviewed a number of Sean’s teammates, many of them eyewitnesses to critically important events of that day. I am certain the School Board and its attorneys will assist us in seeing to it that all of the facts are made known about the events of that day.”

Hillsborough School District officials would not comment or confirm any details of the accident because it was still under investigation at our press time.