Buccaneers donate $10K to family of teen fan killed in crash on way to 'MNF' game
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are donating $10,000 to the family of an 18-year-old fan that died on his way to the Buccaneers' "Monday Night Football" matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs earlier this week.
Connor Barba received tickets to the Buccaneers-Chiefs "MNF" game on Nov. 4 as an early birthday gift from his mother, but the teen from Norman, Oklahoma, never got the chance to see the game. Barba and his mother, Megan Barnett, were involved in a head-on collision on Nov. 2 while en route to Kansas City, resulting in the death of Barba and serious injuries for his mother.
"Megan (Barnett) and Connor (Barba) shared a deep love for football," reads a GoFundMe created for the Barba family. "Connor was a huge fan of Baker Mayfield, proudly following him since his days playing for the Oklahoma Sooners, while Megan has always been a devoted Chiefs supporter."
Mayfield, the Buccaneers' quarterback, called Barba's death "a heartbreaking loss."
"My thoughts and prayers go out to Megan and her family as they deal with this heartbreaking loss," Mayfield said in a statement to ESPN. "I am honored and humbled knowing that Connor was such a big fan. I would have loved to have met him. As a new parent, this really hits home for me. I realize there are no words that can provide true comfort at a time such as this, but I hope that Megan makes a full recovery and that she draws strength from the outpouring of support she is receiving from around the country."
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According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, Barba was driving a Hyundai Santa Fe traveling northbound, when a 45-year-old male driving a Chevrolet Camaro veered over the median "for an unknown reason" and struck Barba's vehicle head-on. Barba and the driver of the other vehicle were both killed. Barnett was transported to a hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where she remains in the intensive care unit, the GoFundMe stated.
The Buccaneers organization donated $10,000 to the GoFundMe account created to help the family with Barba's funeral expenses and Barnett's recovery, a team spokesperson confirmed to ESPN. The donation was given anonymously on the platform. As of Friday evening, more than $112K has been raised for the family.
"Thank you to everyone for the continued support you've shown Megan's family during this difficult time, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers," GoFundMe organizer Seth Brooks wrote in an update. "Your kindness means so much to us."
USA TODAY Sports reached out to the Buccaneers for comment.
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