A high school football player has died following a medical emergency during a gym class that left him brain dead.
Levi Curry, a rising defensive football star, passed away at the age of 15 on November 6 shortly after collapsing during a gym class at an Alaska high school.
Curry, who played on the Eagle River High School football team in Anchorage, went into cardiac arrest during the routine class.
He was administered CPR before being rushed to Providence Hospital, where he was fighting for his life on the pediatric intensive care unit, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a friend of Curry’s family.
Later that evening, at 9:49pm local time, the teenager was declared brain dead and his family decided to move forward with organ donation.
‘They ask for prayers as they walk this unexpected journey of laying their beloved Levi to rest and move forward with learning to live a life without him,’ the page added. ‘He will be greatly missed in his family and our community.’
High school football player levi Curry died at the age of 15 after a medical emergency
Curry was declared brain dead in hospital after collapsing during a gym class
Curry’s parents told Alaska’s News Source that Levi had been born with a heart condition but had undergone surgery to alleviate it.
‘The surgery basically healed it,’ his father James told the outlet. ‘Other than that, he’s just like a normal kid.’
Funeral information shared by his church added that Curry’s existing heart condition had been ‘carefully managed by a pediatric cardiologist.’
Curry, who stood at 6-foot-3, was named one of Alaska’s best defensive players on Wednesday, less than a week on from his tragic passing.
‘As a football program, we preach family, brotherhood, and standing together through adversity. Today, those words carry a weight we never imagined they would,’ the Eagle River High School football team shared in an emotional statement on social media.
‘Levi was more than a football player. He was a son, a friend, a teammate, a brother, and a valued member of our Wolves family. His life mattered, his presence made a difference, and the memories he created with his teammates and coaches will forever be part of our program.
‘As his head coach, I can tell you that there is nothing that prepares you for losing one of your players. We spend countless hours teaching these young men about football, discipline, toughness, and overcoming adversity. But there is no playbook for something like this. No words that can take away the hurt. No way to make sense of losing someone so young.’
Curry had been born with a heart condition but had undergone surgery to alleviate it
It added: ‘The outpouring of love and compassion has been overwhelming. It is a reminder that football is so much bigger than the game itself. We may wear different colors and compete against one another on Friday nights, but when tragedy strikes, we stand together as one family.
‘We ask for your continued prayers, love, and support, especially for Levi’s family as they face an unimaginable loss. Please also keep his teammates, friends, coaches, and everyone whose life he touched in your thoughts and prayers.’
The GoFundMe page, which at the time of writing had raised more than $57,000, was established to support Curry’s family with medical bills and other costs as they mourn their son.
More than 500 people attended Curry’s funeral on Wednesday to pay their respects to the late teenager and support his grieving family.
