Statistician dies after collision with high school football player
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A retired teacher who still worked as the statistician for a Pennsylvania Catholic high school died from brain injuries Monday that were suffered when a football player collided with him 10 days earlier.
A football player ran into Tony Cantafio on the sidelines during a game on Sept. 30. The Lackawanna County coroner said he died of a traumatic brain injury suffered when he was knocked over.
Cantafio taught math at Scranton Prep for 31 years before retiring last year.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He was taken to a hospital by ambulance from the field after he was injured. He remained hospitalized until he died.
Principal Matthew Bernard announced Cantafio's death in an email to parents and says the school is "deeply saddened by the loss."
“He was a loyal companion for the many teachers and coaches who had the pleasure of working with him,” Bernard said in a statement, per The Times-Tribune.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“He was a man whose love for the young people of Prep was second only to his love for his family... He will be deeply missed by the Prep family. Prep is grateful to God for the life of this good man and grateful to his wife Joanne, and sons Tony and Chris who shared him with us for over three decades.”
A counselor was being made available for students and faculty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.