Morehead High School supports running back hurt in ATV accident

EDEN, N.C. (WGHP) — The Morehead High School football team is rallying around their running back who was injured in an ATV accident.

MHS Football Coach Bobby Martin said a missing piece in Wednesday's practice was 16-year-old Trooper Wright.

"His parents knew what they were doing when they named him Trooper. He's a straight-up Trooper. If there's anybody he could help, he's going to help them," Martin said.

Martin says Trooper is a running back on the team. He was involved in an ATV accident near his home in Eden on Monday afternoon.

"I got a phone call that evening that said he had been in a side-by-side accident. He went down to the hospital, and he got airlifted, and they did surgery," Martin said.

Martin says Trooper's left arm had to be amputated. The head football coach visited the 16-year-old after his surgery.

"It was tough. People don't understand me. When I coach, these guys become like my sons. It's not about winning a football game, it's about helping them become young men. And when you see one of your sons in the hospital bed in that type of position, it hits home really hard," Martin said.

During his hospital visit, Martin says Trooper asked him to pass along a message to his teammates.

"He said, 'Tell them that I'm good and to go do your best and keep praying,'" Martin said.

While Trooper recovers in the hospital, his teammates honored him at practice by throwing up the number four. That's Trooper's jersey number.

Martin says the team captain and his peers can only get through this one way.

"We break out every day. We point to our head ... one mind so we can think the same way. One heart so we can love the same way, and we point to the sky because there's only one way," Martin said.

Martin says once Trooper is able to, he has a spot on the team if he wants to play football again.

A GoFundMe has been set up.

The MHS football team takes on Shelby High School on Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Cleveland County.