In fAlabama freshman quarterback Keelon Russell, whom the Crimson Tide recruited from SMU, lost his twin sister Kierston on Wednesday. 

The Tuscaloosa Police Department officially recognized her death, per Chris Low of ESPN. An official police statement stated that her death “at this time appears to be non-criminal in nature.“” 

Russell's family coordinated with the police to make her passing known to stave off heightened media requests. The police stated on Thursday that no further details would be released at this time and requested that the media respect the family's privacy. 

Keelon confirmed his sister's passing by reposting a message on his Instagram page. He responded with four emojis of hands in the heart formation. “

The message he reposted read, “My deepest condolences are with you guys dearly. Losing a twin sister and daughter is a pain that one could never imagine.”

Russell and his sister recently graduated from Duncanville High School. Kierston played basketball while at Duncanville and made it to the regional finals.

They were last seen together at their graduation ceremony and dancing across the stage to get their diplomas. 

In fact, Kierston was scheduled to join her brother in Alabama in August. In 2023, Russell originally committed to play at SMU before deciding to go to Alabama in June 2024. 

At that time, Russell dominated at the Elite 11 camp and came away with MVP honors. With this colossal loss, where does Russell go from here?

Undoubtedly, going back to Alabama will be hard for Russell. On the field, he is highly touted for his arm strength, athleticism, and playmaking. 

Russell will be competing for greater play with junior redshirt QB Ty Simpson. The hope is for Russell to blossom into a potential starter for one of the most storied programs in all of sports. 

Nevertheless, this period of grief will be a hard one to navigate.