ROLLA, Mo. (WAND) – A Millikin University football player has died after a swimming accident.
On Aug. 8, 19-year-old David Jackson was swimming at Fugitive Beach in Rolla, Mo., when he went underwater and didn’t come back up. Witnesses told KSDK in St. Louis they saw him jump from a cliff into the water, come up in a panic, then go underwater again.
He stayed under for over 10 minutes before a lifeguard pulled him out and performed CPR. Jackson had a pulse when he went to the hospital for treatment and spent the last week-plus in critical but stable condition. He passed away Thursday.
Jackson was a wide receiver for Millikin and a graduate of St. Louis University High School. His brother also plays for Millikin.
“Christ has him,” said SLUH president David Laughlin in a tweet. “Pray for his family and friends.”
Millikin University President Dr. Patrick White issued the following statement:
"The Millikin University community is deeply saddened with the passing of Millikin sophomore David K. Jackson. David was a dynamic personality with an infectious energy that lit up a room. He was an extraordinary athlete who thrived on pressure situations, as a two-sport star at St. Louis University High School and on the football field at MU. David Jackson was dedicated to mentoring young African-American males in St. Louis and was deeply devoted to his family. As we mourn the tragic loss of a promising young man, we extend our sympathy to David’s family and friends and those in the Millikin community who knew him. At this time, we are reminded of the importance of coming together to share stories of David and support one another as we grieve for his loss."
Fugitive Beach saw another drowning in June 2017, when 18-year-old Belleville man Kalon Green didn’t come up after a trip down a water slide.
