Prep Football Player Dies Of Head Injuries

A Manteca teenager, who suffered a serious head injury in a helmet-to-helmet collision in a high school football game last week, has died of his injuries.

Matthew Vangelderen, 16, underwent emergency surgery to relieve brain swelling at San Joaquin General in the early morning hours of Sept. 17. He lingered in a coma for nearly a week before he was declared brain dead on Friday evening. His body was kept on life support until Saturday so family members from Mexico could travel here to pay their last respects, said Rex Osborn, spokesman for the Manteca Police Department.

"The family is holding up as best as can be expected," said Bishop Craig Brooksby, of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Manteca, who spoke for Van Gelderen's family on Saturday. "It's been a tough day."

Vangelderen, a 5-foot-9, 137-pound junior, suffered the head injury while blocking on a kickoff late in East Union High's 27-26 loss to Bear Creek in Stockton.

"He's a 137-pound player with a 200-pound heart," said an emotional East Union Principal John Alba earlier in the week. "We'll miss him from school right now… He was very popular and well liked."

His teammates, family and friends held a candlelight vigil for him and -- Alba told KTVU -- that counselors were at school on Monday to help students cope with the injury.

The injury had also deeply impacted the players and coaching staff at Bear Creek. Many spent hours at the hospital, praying for Vangelderen's recovery.

Officials said Vangelderen had feeling in both his fingers and his toes as he was taken from the field. He was conscious and talking to coaches and trainers. But then his eyes rolled back in his head, he lost consciousness and was rushed to San Joaquin General.

Vangelderen played running back and defensive back for East Union. He had a promising start to the young season, making three tackles in the teams opening game against Beyer High School.