BUFFALO, N.Y. — Canisius High School is mourning the loss of a former student-athlete.
Kevon Walker, who graduated from Canisius in June, passed away while attending Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania.
His mother, Briana Jacobs, told 2 On Your Side's Claudine Ewing that she got a call on Monday that he was found unresponsive in his dorm room.
"The exact cause is natural causes, it was sepsis, so that's what we know for a fact, but they are doing extra toxicology tests to make sure it wasn't nothing else in place. But it was not foul play," the family said.
His mom last spoke with Kevon on Sunday, but didn't hear from him the following day.
"I started texting. I waited a while. I'm thinking he is running drills, just busy or coming back from the Halloween weekend, which is my birthday, so that's really crushing me," she said.
His grandmother, Taska Dennis, said Kevon "wasn't only about football, he was about growth, educating others. It was about leaving something behind. He was a young leader on the field. and he was something good to get a four year scholarship."
Canisius says Walker was a standout football player, whose smile was as large as his presence on the field.
“Kevon was a larger-than-life presence in so many ways in our building,” Principal Tom Coppola said in a Facebook post. “His graduation from Canisius High School was such a great day for he and his family, it was awesome on that day to see him so proud. Our deepest condolences go out to his family.”
Coach Paul Woods recalls meeting Kevon and watching him mature.
"He fell right in with the culture here. He bought into the culture immediately. Kevon had leadership. He had it and I think that came from his background, his, his upbringing. He knew he had to lead because he lost his father at a very young age," Woods said.
He is devastated about the passing of a former student-athlete. He believes the team will use the loss as motivation for the rest of the year.
Walker recently attended a game at Canisius in September and assisted the team in the locker room and on the sidelines.
Head football coach Kraig Kurzanski and Coppola met with the players to tell them of Walker's passing. Counselors will be on hand to assist students.
NBC Affiliate WJAC in Pennsylvania is reporting police are investigating Walker's death.
Saint Francis University cancelled classes on Tuesday so students could attend a mass to remember Walker.
"The entirety of the department is heartbroken over the tragic and untimely loss of Kevon," Director of Athletics James Downer said. "Although his time at Saint Francis was short, he made a positive impact on the football program, was well-liked and respected among the team, and showed the promise of a very bright future with the Red Flash. Our sincere thoughts and condolences are with Kevon's family, loved ones, teammates, and coaches during this incredibly challenging time."