Former Brazoswood HS athlete and aspiring rapper dies due to COVID

Wednesday, September 8, 2021
FREEPORT, Texas (KTRK) -- LaWayne Ross, a 24-year-old former collegiate tight end and aspiring rapper, has died after battling COVID-19, according to his mother.

"It's with great sadness to announce that our son Wayne Ross gained his wings this morning," Yolanda Bradshaw-Ross posted on Facebook on Tuesday. "Thank you all for the love and support. Plans for his service will be shared at a later date."

The video above is from previous reporting on Ross and his battle against COVID-19.

Ross was in intensive care for several weeks after being diagnosed with COVID-19 in early August.

"I've only seen him twice, and the only reason I've seen him twice was because he was that critical," Bradshaw-Ross told ABC13 late last month.
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After Ross graduated from Brazoswood High School, he went on to play college football at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana.



He was a 2017 first-team All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana selection at tight end, according to KPLC-TV. He set a McNeese school record in 2017 for the most receiving yards by a tight end with 570. His brother, Ryan, was also a standout player on the McNeese team. The two played together all three of LaWayne's years at the school.

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He was an aspiring rap artist and was also taking classes on safety management.
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Ross was not vaccinated, according to his mother. She said last month that she wished she would have encouraged him to do so sooner.

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"As a mother, especially when your kid gets sick, you always question anyone in your family, you know?" said Bradshaw-Ross. "What could I have done better? Could I have made him do this sooner? I know if I just picked up and took him, he would have. He has that trust in me. So yeah, of course, I questioned everything."

READ ALSO: Unvaccinated 18-year-old in ICU battling COVID
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