Drowning Claims Life of East Union Football Player

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IUKA, Miss. (WCBI) — An East Union football player has died following an accident in Tishomingo County.

T.J. Hamblin, 17, drowned during a team function at JP Coleman State Park on Friday evening.

T.J. Hamblin

Tishomingo County coroner Mack Wilemon tells WCBI that Hamblin and a group of players from East Union went for a swim around 5:30-6 p.m. across a cove by a campground when Hamblin disappeared.

The team and coaches went diving to try to find Hamblin following his disappearance, but were unable to locate him.

Hamblin’s body was found by officials from the Tishomingo County Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks at 9:00 p.m.

Hamblin was a rising junior with the East Union football and power-lifting teams.

“TJ didn’t have a mean bone in his body,” head football coach Kevin Walton told WCBI. “He was a warrior. The entire team loved him. He would never question anyone and was an incredibly hard worker. This is a very tragic day.”

Visitation is scheduled for Sunday from 5-9pm at Tutor Funeral Home in Pontotoc. The funeral is scheduled for Monday at 10:00am at Tutor.

Walton said the entire East Union community showed up to the fieldhouse last night when the team returned from their function at Pickwick Lake.

*All students, staff, parents and other community members are invited to attend a candlelight vigil in memory of T.J. Hamblin beginning at 7:00pm at the East Union football fieldhouse.

The faculty and staff at East Union have set up a GoFundMe page for the funeral expenses of Hamblin.

If you would like to donate, visit here: http://www.gofundme.com/2jd5scv6w