15-year-old football player with dreams of playing in the NFL dies after getting trapped in house fire

HOLLYWOOD, S.C. ( WCSC /Gray News) – A South Carolina family and community are mourning the loss of a young man who was killed in a house fire and had dreams of playing football for the NFL. Jaiden Odom was a 15-year-old Lowcountry football player who played at Baptist Hill High School in Hollywood. After officials shared that Odom was trapped and had died in the fire, the community followed with an outpouring of support. “If I could say anything to him right now, the first thing I would say is that I truly miss you,” Kelly Odom, Jaiden’s mother, said. Odom’s parents described him as a “gentle giant” who was kind, generous, thoughtful, hardworking and passionate. They shared stories of him as a protector of his family and a leader in school on and off the field. “It just does me justice to know that we did a great job raising him,” Kelly said. “We did a great job.

Missing media or need the complete publisher report? Open Hawaii News Now

Scoop News DeskHollywood, South Carolina · Published Monday, August 31, 2026 at 9:56 PM UTCUpdated Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 5:25 PM UTC

Scoop News reporting summary

The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.

Baptist Hill High School shared a statement in response to his death and said their hearts are heavy as the Baptist Hill family mourns the loss of one of their own. “Jaiden will forever be a part of Baptist Hill, and his memory will live on in the halls, on the field, and in the hearts of his classmates, teammates, teachers, coaches, and the entire Bobcat community,” they said in a statement on Facebook. “Our hearts, prayers, and deepest condolences are with Jaiden’s family and loved ones during this unimaginable time.

Breaking news moves fast. Follow @Will466513 on X for breaking news alerts. Follow on X →

Story timeline