Former Canisius HS football player found dead in Saint Francis University dorm

BUFFALO – A promising young football player from Buffalo was found dead in his dorm room at Saint Francis University in Loretta, Pennsylvania.

Now his family is grieving.

Kevon Walker, 18, grew up in Buffalo. Two years ago he was accepted to Canisius High School and quickly became a standout player on the football team.

He earned a scholarship to Saint Francis to play Division I football. He was so proud, his mother told me.

“He didn’t even get a chance to enjoy it,” Briana Jacobs said.

Jacobs said her son had an ear infection and his family gave him money to get antibiotics.

She said she texted him Sunday night and didn’t hear from him Monday. Then she later learned he wasn’t responding. She was told the infection in his ear had spread.

His grandmother, Tasha Dennis, remembered him as “a big giant,” saying, “…He is the child who loved to play and was as tall as his father.”

“It had the drive of an eighteen-wheeler with three trailers behind it. He wanted to play football. That was all he wanted to do,” said his stepfather, Don Dees.

Kevon’s coach at Canisius, Kraig Kurzanski, said he was a tough and dedicated young man.

“You know, he had a tough upbringing, as far as living in the city, and he just knew the best way out was through education,” Kurzanski said. “And he was a really good football player, which helped too… There are a lot of kids who say things like that and a lot of kids who don’t finish… Kevon did it and that’s what I was most proud of him for.”

A Gofundme campaign started to support his family.