A sports photographer has tragically died while taking pictures for Wichita Northwest High School after she hit her head on concrete when football players knocked her over.
Linda Gregory was taking photos of the freshman and junior varsity football teams when two players went to the sideline and crashed into her.
She fell backward and slammed her head on the concrete before being taken to the hospital.
Linda’s grieving husband, Mel Gregory, took to Facebook and said that his wife was on life support.
He later made the heartbreaking decision to take her off life support and said that her organs would be donated.
“There is little hope left for her, but she might live on in the bodies of others,” he wrote. “Linda has been my soul mate, my bestest in everything and she will go as she would like to have gone.”
The beloved photographer got involved with the athletic department of the school when the husband of her friend, Joanna Chadwick, became a basketball coach.
Linda and Mel then joined the Grizzly community with the Chadwicks.
Speaking to The Wichita Eagle, Chadwick said: “What is so amazing about Linda is that as much as she loved my family and as much as we loved her, it was that same way with so many other people.
“She was that person for so many other people and she was always more than happy to give you advice on a topic or help you out of a jam.”
Steve Martin, the Northwest football coach, said that the team will honor the late photographer by wearing stickers with her initials on their helmets.
“Her passion for kids was amazing, but it went deeper than taking pictures for Linda and Mel. They were a part of our football team and always will be,” Martin said.
Linda’s involvement in sports photography allowed her to have strong relationships with many people involved.
Chadwick told KWCH: “Whether she took their child’s senior portraits or she showed up to their son’s t-ball game, she just loves the community and she loves people.”
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