CHOCOWINITY — The Southside football players and coaches have banded together following the car accident of senior offensive lineman, Colby Curlings that left him hospitalized.

After taking an end of the semester exam in May, Curlings was driving down NC Highway 33, and drifted over the middle line into oncoming traffic according to head football coach Jeff Carrow.

“He was right down the road here, was dismissed from an exam and he crossed the centerline, we don’t know why, but he hit an 18-wheeler,” Carrow said at a summer workout practice a couple of weeks ago. “The good lord looked after him. He was in his dad’s bigger truck, thank God. Originally he had scratched up his arm pretty bad, they had two or three surgeries on his arm, but the biggest thing is he was bleeding from his brain. … They were able to stop the bleeding, but he’s still stitched up and got a nice big scar, but every day he is getting better.”

The football team is selling wristbands to help Curlings and his family. The wristbands read, “#ColbyStrong” and will be available for purchase at every home football game during the Seahawks’ season.

“He’s opened his eyes, he’s talking now, they’ve changed the (tracheostomy tube), he’s just now started getting solid food. So, every day has been a positive step up,” Carrow said a couple of weeks ago. “The guys have bonded together, trying to make a positive out of it. We did a few individual clips and a team clip (for him), facebooked him, just trying to send him some love.”

According to coach Carrow, the sidelines will welcome Curlings with open arms if he is able to come out to the Seahawks’ football games this fall.

“I am definitely dedicating my season and my game this year to him,” junior running back and safety Davion Carter said at a summer practice.

“I have to (as well),” senior linebacker and running back Jamari Nelson said. “My first year was (Colby’s) first year playing football. I remember we were in the championship game. I couldn’t carry the ball anymore because of the carry limit, and (Colby) scored the game-winning touchdown. So ever since then we’ve been clicking, especially now since this was our last year, so I got to do it for him.”

“He’s been on varsity since he came to high school,” senior wide receiver and middle linebacker Daveion McCraw said.

Running backs Carter and Nelson said that it was devastating to not have their four-year veteran blocking for them this year.

“We needed that,” Carter said. “But, we’ll get it for him.”