Two Teenage Athletes Die Suddenly

Reports of two teenage athletes who died suddenly made national headlines this week.

17-year-old Caleb White, one of the country’s top men’s basketball recruits, tragically died after collapsing on the court during a workout.

Emergency responders at Pinson Valley High School and doctors at a nearby hospital failed to revive the star point guard.

JUST IN – Star Alabama basketball talent Caleb White dead at 17 after collapsing during workout. pic.twitter.com/s0v4w0yjpQ

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) August 11, 2023

“Our whole family was really looking forward to his upcoming senior season and afterwards, playing for a D-1 school and then perhaps the NBA,” George Varnadoe Jr., White’s grandfather, wrote on social media.

H.S. Basketball Star Caleb White Dead At 17 After Collapsing During Workout https://t.co/Zq6wQGe2LG

— TMZ (@TMZ) August 11, 2023

TMZ reports:

The Alabama High School Athletic Association said in a statement Thursday evening it’d be providing grieving students and staffers with counseling in the upcoming days.

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White — a first-team all-state selection as a junior — averaged 20.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game last season … and according to ESPN, he was the No. 3-ranked prospect in the entire state of Alabama.

Varnadoe Jr., though, said White was so much more than a hooper … calling the teenager “an honor student, very respectful, high intellect” and an “excellent role model.”

WATCH:

Another horrific story comes out of Texas.

A 16-year-old cheerleader died after suffering cardiac arrest.

Callie Mitchell reportedly went into cardiac arrest while attending a cheerleading camp at Texas A&M University.

Mitchell had to be airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital, but she tragically passed away.

A Katy ISD cheerleader suffered cardiac arrest late last month and died several days later. Her parents talked to @GraceWhiteKHOU about the heroic actions of her cheer coach and the message they want to share. https://t.co/YSCOxffaBP

— KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) August 10, 2023

KHOU 11 shared further details:

The 16-year-old was at a cheer camp at Texas A&M University when a coach called her parents to ask them a question about their daughter.

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“She said, ‘Hey, does Callie have a problem waking up in the morning?’ And I said, ‘No never,'” Michelle said.

Her parents jumped in the car and headed to College Station. Once they got there, they learned that the same coach that called them performed CPR on Callie.

“If it wasn’t for (Coach) Eberly, we would have never had the chance to say goodbye,” Michelle said.

Callie was airlifted from College Station to Texas Children’s in Houston. She died on Aug. 1.

“Probably what happened was a cardiac arrest that was caused by Long QT syndrome,” Scott said.

That’s a genetic disorder that affects the electrical system that controls your heart. Michelle and Scott want other people to know about it.

“For any other parents out there, you know they do physicals every year … EKGs are not part of a physical … get an EKG,” Scott said.

Callie started cheering when she was 2 for her brother’s Little League team. Her most recent social media post embodies what her parents want her to be remembered for: “His plan over mine.”

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The terrifying trend of young, healthy individuals, especially athletes, suffering sudden cardiac arrest or death persists in 2023.

William Makis highlighted 15 incidents of high school and college athletes to die suddenly or unexpectedly in the past month.

NEW ARTICLE: Teenage Athletes are still dying suddenly at unprecedented levels in US & Canada!!

15 High School and College athletes (ages 16 to 19) died suddenly or unexpectedly in the past month!

Caleb White (17) basketball
Tajh Boyd (19) football
Callie Marie Mitchell (16)… pic.twitter.com/3o3xNXaAVr

— William Makis MD (@MakisMD) August 11, 2023