'Carry on Mason's legacy.' HSE's Mason Alexander remembered by friends, family, mentors
FISHERS – His future coach called them “Mason moments.”
Pat Narduzzi did not know Mason Alexander long enough to have many. That is the tragedy of a life taken far, far too early. Alexander, just 18 years old, died March 1 when a car he was riding in struck a tree and caught on fire in Fishers.
Alexander, a football and track star at Hamilton Southeastern, had returned home after several weeks at Pitt, where he was preparing for spring football. Narduzzi had recruited him to Pitt, along with position coach Archie Collins. On Tuesday, in front of hundreds of family, friends, teammates from HSE and Pitt, and many others at the Fishers Event Center to celebrate Alexander’s life, the Pitt coach recalled those “Mason moments.”
There was his official visit in June of last year when Alexander, joined by his mother, Kelly Harris, and younger sister Jai, solidified in his mind he wanted to come to Pitt. He called six days later and let them know he was committed. Another was the last time Narduzzi sat down with Alexander in his office, just weeks before the accident.
Narduzzi, in his meetings, usually sits in an armed chair. This time, Narduzzi sat next to Alexander on the couch. They talked about Alexander’s “Why?” In a hallway at the Pitt football facility, players can put up pictures of their “Why?” That was the topic of conversation that day.
“Some guys still don’t have their ‘Whys’ up there,” Narduzzi said. “It takes a while to figure out. Mason already had his ‘Why’ up there … his family was his ‘Why?’”
Narduzzi talked about how Alexander spoke of his mother and sister with tears in his eyes. He talked about his father, who passed away when Mason was a kid. It was the reason he wore No. 15, after finding out as an 8-year-old that his dad, Johnny Alexander, passed away on June 15, 2015. There were tough times after for Mason, his mother, older sister Kennedy and Jai.
But when Mason spoke of these tough times, he did it with a smile. Because he saw how his mom preserved, grew her real estate business and did it for her family.
“I’m mostly proud of my mom,” Mason said in September of 2023. “She’s so strong about everything. Any average person would have broke down and not know what to do. She put us first before anything, then she fought through it all. It was her birthday a few days ago and she just broke down, crying tears of joy. It was like she was realizing how much she had to go through in 10 years.”
As friends, family and mentors shared stories of the affable Alexander for the two-hour plus service, it was impossible not to feel heartbreak for Kelly, seated in the front row. Alexander’s shining star went beyond his athletic exploits, though those were numerous. He was not only a star defensive back and kickoff returner on the football field, but an all-state sprinter in track as part of HSE’s state champion 400-meter relay team.
HSE athletic director Jim Self said, with permission from his mother, he would like to honor the No. 15 forever.
“I think we should give that jersey to the young man that most represents what Mason was all about,” Self said. “That you have to earn No. 15 moving forward. The truth is, I need to see No. 15 on the field. His smile, his talent, his work ethic and his confidence. That’s who I think I’d like to wear in the future No. 15.”
Self said his challenge for everyone in the building on Tuesday is to honor Alexander.
“My challenge is simple,” Self said. “To live your legacy. Kelly, I promise you I will do everything in my power to carry on Mason’s legacy at Hamilton Southeastern High School. Thank you for trusting me and letting me love your son.”
Hamilton Southeastern teammates and former teammates wore black Royals’ jerseys on one side of the building. Many of Alexander’s athletic accomplishments were displayed on the floor near family, including his No. 15 jerseys at HSE and Pitt.
Touching tribute to Mason Alexander today at Fishers Event Center. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi among speakers pic.twitter.com/FPoHKDLJbz
— Kyle Neddenriep (@KyleNeddenriep) March 25, 2025
Alexander’s father had destined him for greatness after his first little league game, but never got to see his son catapult into that player he always believed he could be. In a recent essay for English class, Mason had written about his father’s after-school routine with him on Fridays, complete with a trip to the barber shop and dinner.
“It felt like yesterday,” Alexander wrote in the essay shared by friend Ava Wright. “It makes you think about time and how little you really have.”
The tragedy now is not seeing what Mason was going to do next — on the football field and in life.
“In just 18 years, Mason accomplished what many of us spent a lifetime striving for,” said Patricia Germany of Kingdom Apostolic Ministries in her tribute. “And now we ask, ‘Why? Why must we lose someone we love so deeply?’ Why were given only a short time with a heart as pure as Mason’s? Why do the good ones always seem to leave too soon? The answer is one we many never understand. But what we do know is this — Mason showed us what love looks like. Mason taught us how to live life to the fullest and because of that, we must never let him down … thank you Mason for showing us what love looks like, for teaching us how to live, and for giving us the best version of you.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: HSE football star, Pitt freshman Mason Alexander honored after death
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