High School

Missouri football star suffers severe neck, spinal injuries; community asks for support, prayers

Jatayvion "JT" Thomas undergoes multiple surgeries for severe injuries suffered during Friday’s game

Levi Payton

A Missouri high school football star suffered severe neck and spinal injuries during the fourth quarter of a game on Friday.
A Missouri high school football star suffered severe neck and spinal injuries during the fourth quarter of a game on Friday. / Jimmy Jones

He wears No. 4, but right now Jatayvion "JT" Thomas is No. 1 in the hearts of the Palmyra community.

Joined on the field as opponents, the Palmyra and Macon communities united in a sobering moment Friday when Thomas, a 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior wide receiver and defensive back at Palmyra High School, suffered severe injuries during a play in the fourth quarter.

In the midst of a strong game on both sides of the ball, Thomas was playing defense when he went for a tackle in the final period with the game hanging in the balance. When he didn’t get up, the focus shifted instantly from the score to the safety of the young player lying on the field.

Emergency crews responded quickly, and Thomas was transported to a Columbia, Missouri, medical facility for immediate care. Medical scans revealed a broken C4 and C5 vertebrae and significant trauma to his spine.

According to Muddy River Sports, Thomas underwent two surgeries - one lasting nearly six hours - to stabilize his neck and relieve pressure on his spinal cord. Palmyra coach Justin Hutchings said he and several players traveled to Columbia after the game to be with Thomas and his family. Hutchings noted that Thomas showed improvement following surgery, and was awake and in positive spirits when teammates visited.

“They said after I left he was kind of wide awake and he was talking and laughing and being positive,” Hutchings told Muddy River Sports. “He’s being super positive and faithful.”

The Panthers went on to finish the game - a 27-12 loss at Hugh Dunn Stadium. Hutchings said he gave the players the choice of whether or not to continue, but they decided together to play on for Thomas. Many remained in Columbia through the weekend to stand by his side.

Back home, the Palmyra community is rallying. Senior parents immediately began collecting donations, raising nearly $10,000 in the first 24 hours through cash, check and Venmo contributions. An account is also being set up at Homebank, while collection jars will be placed at local businesses to help offset medical expenses.

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Across social media, hundreds of messages of encouragement have poured in, and additional fundraisers are being planned. Local businesses are organizing raffles and sales to generate more support.

A community prayer vigil has been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Palmyra football field, giving friends, family and supporters a chance to gather and lift up Thomas in prayer.

For Hutchings, who is in his first year leading the program, the response from both his players and the community has been a powerful reminder of what it means to be united.

“The support has been phenomenal,” Hutchings told Muddy River Sports. “We’re just going to do it for him. It’s going to be our why for the rest of the season.”

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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