Gleaton Jones, a former running back for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team, died at the age of 21 after a car accident this week.
Jones died Friday, Dec. 13, according to an obituary shared by Matthews Funeral Home.
His death comes three days after a car accident on Tuesday, Dec. 10, in which he was hospitalized with a brain injury, according to UGA’s independent student newspaper Red and black.
Local broadcaster WSB-TV also reported that Jones died after a serious car crash, while Porterfield Methodist Church in Jones’ hometown of Albany, Georgia, said he “suffered a brain injury in the accident.”
According to his obituary, Jones was a running back for the Bulldogs in 2021 after his high school career at Deerfield-Windsor.
“Gleaton lived life to the fullest and was full of emotion and enthusiasm in every endeavor,” the obituary said. “For such a tender age, he created a fulfilling life for himself and others, investing deeply in his family, friends, brotherhood, and serving others through his growing faith.”
“Known to his closest friends as ‘Gleat,’ he was described as simply joyous and magnetic. There was no room large enough that his bright light could not fill,” the obituary continued. “His carefree and joyful disposition could make others happy, and his listening skills often provided peace of mind and encouragement.”
The Georgia Bulldogs logo appears on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on December 2, 2023.
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In high school, Jones was a “celebrated athlete” who was “an all-region football player, selected to the GISA All-Star team, team captain and a member of the 2019 state track and field championship team,” according to his obituary. As a member of the Bulldogs, he became part of the school’s 2021 National College Football Playoff team. Red and black reported.
Jones was also part of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was scheduled to graduate from the University of Georgia Terry School of Business next spring with a degree in marketing before returning to Albany to help his father run their family farm, the obituary said.
The student athlete is survived by his parents, Marlin and Kirk Jones; his brother, Cole; his grandparents, Linda Fain, Earle Spurlock and Mary Jones; plus aunts, uncles and cousins.
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Tributes to Jones continue to pour in from members of the UGA community, including on the UGA Barstool Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) pages following his death.
One student remembered the athlete as “the funniest person who had the ability to make any situation good.”
Another said: “I didn’t know Gleaton very well but I was going back to mine [buddy’s] home after the UMass game when I passed Gleaton’s house, which is right next to a friend’s. Gleaton saw me from the house and rushed out to greet me and gave me a hug and was genuinely happy to see me. That’s how he was. Prayers for all of Gleaton’s family and friends. Hug your friends today.”
A celebration of life for Jones will be held at Wynfield Plantation on Monday, December 16.
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Source: HIS Education