Atlanta teen survives fatal crash, coma to lead football team
Atlanta football captain honors brothers killed in crash
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ATLANTA - A high school football captain and star student at Frederick Douglass High School in Atlanta is leading his team on the field after surviving a 2024 car crash that claimed the lives of his two brothers and left him in a coma.
What we know:
Travis Isaac made a full recovery from extensive head and spinal injuries, returning to the sport that once defined his family bond while maintaining a 3.6 GPA and wearing number nine to honor his fallen brothers.
Isaac was 14 years old on Jan. 8, 2024, riding in a car driven by his older brother Cameron alongside his younger brother Gabriel as they traveled to their father’s home to meet their new baby sister.
Heavy rain caused the vehicle to hydroplane into multiple trees, splitting the car in half and throwing Isaac from the vehicle.
Cameron and Gabriel were pronounced dead one day later.
Isaac spent a week in a coma, suffering three skull fractures, two facial fractures and a fracture to his T2 vertebrae. When he woke up, doctors warned he might never play football again.
The backstory:
Football served as a bond between Isaac and his brothers, particularly Cameron, whom Isaac watched play while growing up as a toddler.
Following months of rehabilitation, Isaac transferred to Frederick Douglass High School and returned to the field in fall 2025 wearing a Guardian Cap.
He now wears jersey number nine to represent his brothers, leading the team as captain while holding a 3.6 GPA and planning to graduate in December.
His teammates use his resilience as a rallying point during games.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FOX 5 Atlanta, who interviewed high school football captain Travis Isaac and reported on his recovery and high school football career.