‘Face to Face’: Michigan Teens Reunite Weeks After Viral Football Hit

Two Michigan high school students at the center of a viral football incident have met face to face for the first time since a controversial hit during a junior varsity game drew national attention and widespread outrage.

The meeting, first reported by MLive, brought together the Kalamazoo Central player — number 73 — seen body-slamming Colton Comer, an opponent during a junior varsity game on September 18, and the Stevensville Lakeshore High School student at the center of the viral clip. Both boys are 15 years old.

The Meeting: “A Chance for Healing”

The face-to-face encounter happened roughly two weeks after the game that drew national attention.

Orlando Little, an advocate for the Fatherhood Network, represents the family of the Kalamazoo player and his father, Melrose Hensley. Little reached out to the boy’s family after learning that he’d been receiving death threats following the incident.

Injuries and Inaccurate Reports

In a phone interview with Cars 108, Little emphasized that the meeting was meant to bring healing to both families, who have been struggling since the September 18 incident. He also noted that several media outlets have inaccurately reported the extent of Comer’s injuries.

Little helped coordinate the meeting between the two families, which took place on Saturday, October 4, at a Panera Bread in Kalamazoo. He noted that both boys were accompanied by their fathers but also took time to speak privately with each other.

“We knew it was a big deal to just get them in front of each other,” Little told MLive. “True to fashion, they were just kids.”

Although details of the conversation between the two families have not been made public, the meetup is being called a “moment of reconciliation.”

Ryan Comer, the father of Colton Comer, posted pictures of the gathering on social media, writing, “The bad goes viral, let’s let the good go viral.”

Both school districts have since condemned the behavior and said they’re reviewing athletic policies and sportsmanship education. It remains unclear whether the Kalamazoo player will return to the field this season.