Former coach remembers Ridge Point HS football star after tragic death: 'Everybody loved him'

MISSOURI CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- The Missouri City community is mourning a Ridge Point high school football star who died after being hit by a car in North Carolina.

According to his former coach, the 19-year-old was on life support for several days before succumbing to his injuries on Thursday.

Terrance Howard graduated from Ridge Point High School in 2022.

Rick LaFavers said Howard didn't play varsity until his senior year at Ridge Point HS.

He was a late bloomer of sorts, but LaFavers said that's what made him so fun to coach.

"I remember practice because he played corner and in the competitive drills if he'd get beat he'd be like go again, let's go again." LaFavers said.

That hunger for the game is why LaFavers invited Howard back in May to speak to his players.

"I just remember his smile. He came to my office to the coach's office, and gave me a hug and he went and talked to the team," LaFavers said.

LaFavers didn't know it at the time, but that would be his last encounter with Howard.

"it just seems incomprehensible," LaFavers said.

Howard was gearing up to play for North Carolina Central.

LaFavers said he was actually on his way to the campus in a rain storm when he got into a car accident.

Howard got out to check on the other people involved when he was struck by a passing car.

The 19-year-old spent 10 days in a medically induced coma.

During that time, LaFavers was one of many friends and family, who called and spoke to Howard on speaker phone, hoping to stimulate brain activity.

"I just recently saw him. I think that is probably the more realistic or the part that hurts because he was just there, and it felt like there were positive signs," LaFavers said.

So many prayed for a miracle, but unfortunately, Howard succumbed to his injuries on July 30th.

LaFavers said in his short time on this earth Howard embodied true grit.

After leaving Ridge Point, he walked on to Alabama's University football team.

North Carolina Central was supposed to be the next chapter of his story.

"He had so much in front of him, and he was such a competitor. Everybody loved him," LaFavers said.

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