Teen Impaled by Texas Tech Statue Dies from Injuries
Miguel Martinez, 14, died after impaling himself on a statue at the National Ranching Heritage Center on the Texas Tech University campus. The boy was reportedly playing hide-and-seek when the accident occurred, and the statue has now been turned into a memorial.
"I would love to have him back," Miguel's mother, Judith Leseberg, told EverythingLubbock.com. "Miguel, I wish you could come back, but I know you're not."
Leseberg received the devastating news via a phone call from her daughter.
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"She was like, 'He's gone.' I was like, 'Who took him?' I wasn't letting the word die," Leseberg said. "She says, 'Mom, he's gone, he's not coming back,' and I just fell to the ground."
Martinez reportedly ran into one of the horns during an early-morning game of hide-and-seek with friends. The entire community has been left in shock, and an informal memorial has been established at the site of his death.
"It just breaks my heart because I knew right off the bat that there was nothing that could be done, and that he's like my kid and I couldn't help him," Marenda Podhorsky said.
Poldhorsky, her family, and son Jeremy were all present when the accident happened. Jeremy and Miguel were good friends, and now Jeremy has dedicated one part of his life to his friend's memory.
"I called my coach and he said that I could have his football number. I'm going to play football for him," Jeremy said. "I'm going to do everything for him because his dream was to go to the NFL and he couldn't have that dream, so I'm going to make it happen. I took my jacket off and I put it around him, and I hope he heard me say I loved him, because the last words I heard him say were, 'Jeremy help me,'" the boy said.
Jeremy just held his friend until help arrived. Police have said they are conducting an investigation into the incident, but it will most likely be labeled an accident.
"I know you're not coming back, but we love you and we miss you and we want you to rest in peace," Leseberg said.
