TVSquad

Reality is not reality like in TV reality series. Reality, in fact, is usually too true and very often sad. With that in mind, David Edwards, the young man who was the inspiration for the character Jason Street on NBC's Friday Night Lights, has died. Just 20 years old, David was injured by playing high school football for San Antonio Madison in November 2003. He was a defensive back, and while going after a pass, he collided with an Austin Westlake receiver. Edwards' neck was broken and the injury resulted in his becoming paralyzed.


Friday Night Lights' creator, Peter Berg, was at the game -- a playoff game -- doing research for the series. When the incident occurred, he decided to make the tragic turn of events the centerpiece of the FNL pilot. In that first episode, high school star quarterback, Jason Street (Scott Porter), tries to make a tackle and breaks his neck. Like David Edwards, Jason was paralyzed as a result of the play.

Since FNL's premiere in 2006, the Street character has been shown coping with life as a paraplegic, confined to a wheelchair.