SAN ANTONIO – Reid Kelley, 12, was a 7th grade student and team captain for his football team at Alamo Heights Junior High School.
Over the weekend, Kelley drowned in the Lake Dunlap area of the Guadalupe River.
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The sudden death of Kelley was difficult for his classmates at his school, so extra grief counselors were on hand to help.
"We had counselors on staff at the auditorium for students to talk through the process during the day (for) as long as they needed to," said Frank Alfaro, assistant superintendent of Alamo Heights ISD.
Cordell Jones, principal of the junior high school, said before kick-off Monday night, Kelley's team will bring out his jersey in remembrance of him. Alfaro his football coach talked with the team Monday about Kelley's untimely death.
"I know they got together (Monday) morning and had a team meeting to talk that through with their coach process that as well and it's helpful for the kids, " said Alfaro.
Alfaro said Jones and a counselor made sure to visit each one of Kelley's classes and made sure counselors were available to his classmates and friends if they needed to talk.
"This is a long-term process. This is not going to be over in a day or a week. This is going to take a while for the kids and, as adults, we need to recognize that for our students," said Alfaro.
Reid Kelley's family is asking that donations be made to the Children's Bereavement Center at 205 West Olmos Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78212.
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