After a car accident in New Mexico early Tuesday morning, Texas A&M redshirt freshman and defensive liner Polo Manukainiu, Utah defensive end Gaius Vaenuku, and another teenager passed away.
Manukainiu, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman for the Aggies, was one of five passengers aboard a 2002 Toyota Sequoia traveling south when the SUV drifted off the roadway and rolled several times, said New Mexico State Police Sgt. Emmanuel Gutierrez. It happened Monday evening on U.S. 550 near Cuba, N.M., about 85 miles north of Albuquerque. They were returning from Salt Lake City to suburban Dallas.
The driver, 18-year-old Siaosi Salesi Uhatafe Jr. of Euless, and his father, Siaosi Uhatafe, a stepbrother of Manukainiu and also a Utah recruit, were airlifted to San Juan Medical Center in Farmington, N.M. with minor injuries. Manukainiu and Andrew Uhatafe died at the scene
"We lost a terrific young man," Texas A&M head football Coach Kevin Sumlin said in a statement released by the school. "Polo was loved by his teammates and coaches. Anyone who came in contact with him was struck by his sense of humor and smile. My heart aches for his mom and family members."
"He put the team before himself," Moore said. "He was just overall, a good, gentle and loyal person. He was more than a teammate. He was like a brother to everybody. Everybody just loved being around him."
First in the Southeastern Conference, Texas A&M ended last season ranked No. 5 after an 11-2 season. They were headed by quarterback Johnny Manziel, who became the first freshman to succeed the Heisman Trophy.
"Heart hurts waking up to news about Polo," Manziel tweeted on Tuesday. "I think I speak for everyone on our team when I say we love you brother you will be missed."
The news surprised Trinity High, where Manukainiu, Vaenuku and Siaosi Utahafe all played football.
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