Friends And Family Hold Prayer Vigil For Teenager Injured in Crash

Family and friends came together Thursday night for a prayer vigil on behalf of a Coweta teenager who is fighting for his life after a car crash.

Those who know 19-year-old Cage Stidham said he is the life of the party, that he is funny, smart, and always tries to cheer up people.

Hundreds of people came to the Coweta High School football field to pray for Stidham.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said Stidham was in a single-vehicle crash near Inola on Saturday night.

Related: 19-Year-Old Wagoner County Volunteer In Critical Condition After Truck Accident

Troopers said Stidham wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from his truck.

Stidham works as a volunteer for Wagoner County Emergency Management and had recently helped with tornado disaster scenes in Shawnee and Idabel.

Matt Rose, the Public Information Officer for Wagoner County Emergency Management, said Stidham is always trying to make other people smile during the training, and they miss him.

“For us, it’s kind of a big hit,” said Rose. “We have about seven or eight really close volunteers, and Cage is one of those folks. So over the last week has been tough on our department and our volunteers and staff, so we’re really trying to take it day by day.”

Stidham played on the football team at Coweta High School but dealt with several injuries throughout the years.

His teammates say he always supported them from the sidelines and truly loves the game of football.

“He’s energetic sometimes, but he’s always putting a smile on people’s faces,” said Justis Grammar, a friend who was on the team. “I know he didn’t get to be on the field much, but him just being there brought joy to everybody and gave everybody motivation. He gave you a reason to look forward to being there.”

Grammar says Stidham helped him look on the bright side. 

“I was over here like it’s hot at practice, and I was like ‘dude, I’m tired, I just want to go home,”’ said Grammar. “And he was like, ‘yeah, well, I’m in a cast, so at least you’re getting to be out there and play.’ From then on, I just stood up and was like, ‘yeah, I need to lock in and quit worrying about myself because there’s other people that aren’t able to play the game right now.”’

Those who know Stidham the best say he was the type to always give life his all, and they know he won’t give up.

“I think he is a fighter; if anybody’s got a chance going through what he’s going through right now, he does,” said Tim Harper, the Coweta High School Football Coach. “He will not give up. That’s the thing we’ve all loved about him. He’s not a quitter.”

If you are interested in supporting Stidham and his family, you can donate by going to any BancFirst location and asking about the Cage Stidham Benefit.

His friends and family members are also starting a campaign to remind people to buckle their seatbelts every time they are in a car that they are calling “Click It For Cage.”

Editor's Note: The OHP report about this crash stated that Cage is from Bixby. However, his family says he split his time between Coweta and Inola. This article has been updated to reflect his family's statements.