I got a phone call today from the coach of the player who had a heart attack the other night. He was removed from life-support and died shortly after. I asked to be made aware of funeral arrangments and they will be released with a formal statement from the school district. Its been a tough day today. I cried a little bit tonight at the start of the 2nd quater of my first game as this is when the incident happened. Partner and coaches were aware of situation and the game just contiuned. I got a few weird looks but I got over it... I'm taking this really hard but working tonight really helped and I imagine it'll get better as time goes on. The chapter has been really supportive. The president and I had a touching phone call today. Everys been great. Thank you for yalls prayers and please continue to pray for his family.


Thanks,

John Austin

If anyone is intersted in sending something to the family please contact me via email.

Ace,

I was dearly hoping that the update was going to be positive. That is devastating news. Take good care of yourself and we'll say a prayer for the family.

Z

I will pray for this family.
 

You are never promised a single minute on this earth. Not another second, not another hour.

Very sad. But I am sure God has a plan than none of us know about.

Peace http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk.../depressed.gif

Ace,
A position no one wants to be involved with, God only selects those that can handle it. A message to the family might be that God takes us when our work here is done, he must have been a great kid to be called home so quickly..

My prayers are with you and the family.

I told my wife about this child. She told me that she believes that his Mom might find some comfort in knowing that you have rallied a great big network of unknown friends here on this site who prayed and shared thoughts about her son and family who none of us ever met. Perhaps some day at the appropriate time you could tell his mother what you did for them. It just might give her some comfort to help her get through what she faces next.

ace, have there been in stories in the local newspaper that we might could access online?

Damn.

Sorry to hear that.

The only thing was a blurb on Channel 13 news on Thursday morning. I have yet to see an obit. on the Houston Chornicle's website ...

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/011...eenplayer.html

Sad day when any parent has to bury a child. I'm truly sorry.

Wow!
 

That's really sad. I can't even imagine being a parent in that situation.

But, life is hard... God is good.

We'll be praying for the family and friends. Imagine being one of the teammates of the boy, what a shock.

Thanks
David

Ace, not that it matters but you said that he had a massive heart attack. The TV report says he hit his head on the floor and had seizures. Are they just misinformed? Probably a stupid question, but do you remember what happened on the play?

I had a girl get fouled in a game on Tuesday. The bad thing was, she got fouled and then just flopped for no reason and banged her head on a concrete floor. Of course it was my fault.

Players really need to understand the consequences of falling to the floor for no reason.

Just a terrible tragedy no matter how it happened. In my area this past Wednesday, we had a 3 y/o killed by a pit bull and a 5 y/o killed when a tractor trailer hit a school bus and pushed it 600 ft.! It's incredible how negligent people can be.

TV report was called in by a viewer- assumingly at the game. It was learned that it was a heart attack when he got to the hospital.

John,

Was this child obese? I just cannot imagine a 13-year-old having a heart attack unless there were serious health problems to begin with.

Regardless, it's a sad day. Nobody should have to go through that.

People who otherwise appear healthy can suffer from congenital heart failure. There are thousands and thousands of people, of all ages, walking around with heart disease who don't know it.

Our sympathy and prayers go to you and this family. Hope they and the school knows of the feelings and support from all of us in the referee community.

This is truly a sad story. Thoughts and prayers to the family.

I was working a scrim (15-18 y/o) at a local private school when a girl suddenly checked herself out of the game, made it to the bench, collapsed and began having a seizure. By the time 911 got there she had resumed consciousness, but she was taken to the hospital where she was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. Scary!

Thanks John for your sharing. We all are saddened.

No man is an island. We all, each of us in some way, small or great, affect one another.

Because we have shared in this tragedy--in a small way, we now should feel some obligation to take from it some good. In doing so, we honor--at least in some small degree--the loss of this family.

Do we share our love and kindness a little more freely? Do we increase our patience & forebearance with one another a little more? As we are foreced to focus on things more important, I hope so.

Ace,

I've been following this on this forum, but I dont have your e-mail and would like to send a note to the family. Could you please post it for me.

THANKS.

Just click on Mail under one of his posts.

You know what strikes me most about ace's situation? It's that most people don't realize how much we really do care about the game and it's participants.
They see us as the bad guys much of the time. ace shed tears, as I would have, and have a few times.
ace's reaction only solidifies the notion that I have had about our "group".
That being, that we truely do care, more than anyone will ever know.

Great point, Barb!

Ditto Great Point!!!
 

Its about being responsible. One of my mentors told me his philosophy, he said, "its my court".

God bless!

His wake is tommorow and his funeral is thursday. I plan on attending the funeral. I'll have an obituary link as soon as the Houston Chronicle puts it up. They were waiting on autopsy and all that stuff before making funeral arrangments.

Thanks for all the support, emails, and encouragement. Now if someone could just get me some sleeping pills :-/

Obituary