A 15-year-old student athlete from Alamance County, North Carolina, died before football practice on Monday.
The Cummings High School student was identified by WFMY as Malik Mehbane, a 10th grader and varsity football player. Reported Alamance Burlington School officials said Tuesday they confirmed the news.
The boy collapsed and died on the way to the field for practice, and someone at the scene called 911 while a team trainer administered CPR to Mebane.
“Paramedics arrived and took Malik to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead,” the outlet reported. Following the tragedy, other local football teams also expressed their sadness over the loss of the youngster and their support for the community.
According to WXII, the Alamance Burlington School System said In a statement:
Our district and school community are heartbroken by this tragic loss. Malik Mehbeen was a student, an athlete, and a member of our community. As a district, we are committed to helping our students begin to process their grief. Our school has a team of counselors and support staff to assist our students during this difficult time. We continue to think of Malik's family and friends and want to thank our community for the outpouring of love and support for our school and students.
Similarly, an 18-year-old high school football player in Florida collapsed and died on the field during a game, Breitbart News reported on September 7.
The young man was identified as Chance Gaynor, an honor student and defensive back at Port St. Joe High School in Gulf County.
“According to Gulf County Schools Superintendent Jim Norton, when paramedics arrived to Mr. Gaynor he had no pulse but were able to restore one before being placed in an ambulance,” the report said, adding, “However, he was pronounced dead a short time later at a Brantstown hospital.”
In August, another 15-year-old football player died in Shawnee, Kansas, from a medical emergency after a conditioning workout, and local residents mourned his death, according to Breitbart News.
