A college football star from Missouri State University tragically passed away last Saturday.
Todric McGee, a starting safety for the Missouri State Bears, mistakenly ended his life with a “possible accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
Now that he has sadly gone, his family is having a tough time overcoming the devastating incident.
Recently, the family of the late college football player held a heartfelt tribute on Monday night.
During the tribute at Missouri State’s Plaster Stadium, McGee’s mother, Stephanie Pope, and sister, Tahlia Pope, expressed their deep sorrow.
“He was always there, and he was just everything. He was a sibling I needed,” Tahlia Pope, McGee’s sister, said.
⚾️ Touching photo of Todric McGee’s mother and sister tonight along with head football coach Ryan Beard at Hammons Field.
— Ryan W. Collingwood (@rwcollingwood) April 23, 2025
The ceremonial first pitch at the MSU-Mizzou game was thrown in the late safety’s honor.
📸 Mary Ellen Chiles https://t.co/fJUUjVW64q pic.twitter.com/UIaemt1mpa
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Additionally, Todric’s mother also added that her son did not have any mental health issues that could have led to the fatal incident.
“He wasn’t depressed, there’s no mental issues or anything like that that would make this happen, it’s just a tragic accident, and I just want people to know that you know he’s a good kid,” Sephanie Pope said as per Daily Mail.
McGee, a 21-year-old Missouri State player, passed away on Saturday morning after the incident that occurred on Friday. Authorities have confirmed that the shooting was accidental.
Late College Football Star Helped His Mom Raise Money For Brain Aneurysm Before His Death
While his family and the rest of the people around the late college football star remembered him, a story from nearly a year ago also surfaced.
In what turned out to be the final year of his life, Todric McGee poured his heart into caring for his beloved mother, Stephanie Pope, after she suffered a serious brain aneurysm.
The health scare required her to undergo surgery and spend months in rehabilitation, which brought the two even closer together. Todric made a wise decision and helped her set up a GoFundMe campaign to cover the mounting medical expenses.
Their efforts paid off as they raised nearly $5,000 to ease their financial worries during such a challenging time.
hey everyone if you can please help donate to my mom’s rehabilitation and recovery from traumatic brain surgery it would be greatly appreciated. Insurance denied in patient rehab for her so funds will go to physical therapy costs. No amount is too small🙏🏾🖤https://t.co/CSHA52ZOEy pic.twitter.com/MqAQ2mHr6d
— Todric McGee (@todricmcgee4) May 15, 2024
Additionally, coach Steve Martin, who knew Todric from his high school football days, also spoke fondly of the young man.
“He was a 20-21-year-old kid who saw his mom in a different light. To see him be selfless and come back and want to be around mom and help her out pays tribute to the type of home he grew up in. They were tight-knit. Todric didn’t lose any of that, and he just gained more appreciation for all the things Steph did for him,” Coach Martin said.
Tragically, Todric’s life came to a sudden and heartbreaking end on April 19, 2025. His mother wanted the community to remember him for the great kid he was. May his soul rest in peace!
