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Levi Curry, a 15-year-old boy, died hours after collapsing during a high school gym class in Alaska on Nov. 6
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The student-athlete went into cardiac arrest at the class, according to a GoFundMe created to raise funds for his funeral
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Hours later, he was declared brain dead, per the GoFundMe
A 15-year-old student-athlete died hours after collapsing and going into cardiac arrest during a high school gym class in Alaska.
One day after the Nov. 6 incident at Eagle River High School in Anchorage, the Facebook page for Eagle River High School Football shared that one of its players, Levi Curry, died after “fighting for his life” in the intensive care unit.
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“There are moments in life when words simply aren’t enough, and this is one of them,” the team’s coach wrote on Facebook on Nov. 7. “As a football program, we preach family, brotherhood, and standing together through adversity. Today, those words carry a weight we never imagined they would.”
Credit: GoFundMe
“Levi was more than a football player,” the post continued. “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.”
According to a GoFundMe created to raise funds for Levi’s family and his funeral expenses, Janelle Alexander shared that the teenager collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during an regular gym class.
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Then, “at 9:49 p.m. Levi Curry was declared brain dead,” she later wrote in an update, adding that “the family has decided to proceed 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,” she continued. “He will be greatly missed in his family and our community.”
According to funeral information shared by his church, Levi had a pre-existing heart condition that had been “carefully managed by a pediatric cardiologist.”
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His parents, Mary and James Curry, told Alaska’s News Source that surgery “basically healed” Levi’s condition prior to his sudden collapse.
“So many people have come up and shared their positive experiences with Levi, and now it’s proven that he’s just a good kid in general,” James told the outlet, noting that his son had been living a normal life as one of the best defensive football players in the state.
On Nov. 11, nearly 500 people attended Levi’s funeral to honor his legacy. Dozens of his friends, family and teammates also gathered for an “honor walk” at the hospital a few days prior.
“Today was about more than football. It was about family, love, and standing together when it matters most,” Levi’s football team wrote on Facebook alongside a photo of the people who gathered in his honor. “The overwhelming show of support was a reminder that being a Wolf means being part of something much bigger than ourselves.”
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“To everyone who took time out of their day to stand with the Curry family, thank you,” the post continued. “Your presence meant more than words could ever express.”
Read the original article on People
