Emotion hung heavy in the air as Tina McWright and Cleve McWright III, the parents of Camdan McWright, spoke publicly for the first time about their son who was killed in a tragic traffic accident Friday.
"Camdan McWright was a very special type of son that anyone would be proud to have," Cleve McWright III said as he teared up beside a table of memorabilia that included Camdan’s football helmet and gloves in the San Jose State Athletics Gold Room.
Camdan McWright, 18-year-old freshman football player, was struck and killed Friday morning at 6:51 a.m. by a school bus while he was riding an electric scooter at Tenth and Reed streets on his way to South Campus, the base for university athletics.
Before the tragic incident, Camdan McWright’s parents came to San Jose not knowing it would be the last time they would see him.
"I recall a couple of weeks ago, for SJSU parent weekend, his mother and I decided to come up and he was so happy we were going to attend,” Cleve McWright III said. “We scheduled all these events with the parents, staff and coaches and he was like, 'Dad, I don't want to go.’ "
Cleve McWright III continued to recount that memory, in which he and his wife went back to the hotel room with their son because he just wanted to relax and spend time with them.
The father said at the end of that weekend, he stopped the car before beginning the journey back to Los Angeles to hug Camdan McWright – he had no idea it would be the last time he would ever hold him.
"We drove down a little road, I think just west and I hadn't done it before, but something just compelled me to jump out of the car and stop it in the middle of the road while cars went around and gave him the biggest hug and I told him, ‘Son, you know what, I'm so proud of you and we will back in a few weeks for Thanksgiving to spend time with you,’ " Cleve McWright III said.
Camdan McWright's mother, Tina McWright, said she remembers the day he was born and how he was special but never entirely theirs.
"On the day I gave birth to him, the nurse pulled him out and told his father and me, ‘You have a real football player here,’ and sure enough, his journey began at the age of four and a half as a running back," the mother said.
Tina McWright said even though he was his parent's child, she always knew from the minute he was born that there would come a time she would realize: "God has a master plan."
"I knew he was never really ours when I first laid eyes on him,” Tina McWright said. “I thought I made a deal with God that because he chose us to raise him, he would never take him away, but I have learned the hard way and there are no deals with God."
The parents explained that throughout Camdan McWright's life, he left memories that will live on forever and even after death, those from his childhood stand by him and are supporting the family.
"It is a fact that our son has touched every teacher, administrator, principal and coaches that have had the experience of brushing across his path," Tina McWright said. "We have elementary teachers texting us on his GoFundMe page, just devastated by this loss."
Cleve McWright III said outside of football, Camdan McWright was very charismatic.
"He was a very loving young man and even in his quiet moments, you would look over at Cam and there was this glow about him," the father said.
Tina McWright said he was so genuinely kind and would never intentionally hurt someone unless it was in the game of football.
SJSU football head coach Brent Brennan publicly shared his appreciation to those who have reached out regarding Camdan McWright’s death during the news conference.
"I just want to thank everyone that's reached out,” Brennan said. “Their love and support has been incredible . . . People across the country have reached out to our program and just to me to offer support for this incredible young man."
He said while being a coach to many student-athletes, his relationship with Camdan McWright was different than most.
Brennan recalled the moment in the recruiting process, when he saw Camdan McWright's highlights and knew he belonged at SJSU.
"He was incredible at running back and incredible at linebacker and, you know, so everyone wanted him to play for them,” Brennan said. “Defense [coaches] wanted him, offense [coaches] wanted him."
He said off the field, Camdan McWright has an incredible light and spirit about him that people felt the moment they met him.
"It was instant and right away, I was like, ‘This guy will fit with us. He will be a great part of the family,’ " Brennan said.
He said he and Camdan McWright also shared a love for superheroes, and that was another thing that they bonded over besides their passion for football.
"He was a big Batman fan and when he committed, it was not out yet, but I threw up, like, a Batman signal on Twitter and we spent, like, two days sending each other Batman GIFs as an inside joke," Brennan said.
As the team continues to stand together in mourning of Camdan McWright, Brennan said the university is putting forward all efforts to honor him.
