football

East Texas Football Player Collapses During Game, Dies

An East Texas high school football player has died after collapsing on the sidelines during a game.

The Jacksonville Daily Progress reported that Alto High School junior Cam'ron Matthews collapsed Friday night during an Alto home game against Price-Carlisle after reaching the bench from a kickoff return seconds before halftime. He suffered a seizure and doctors, nurses, coaches and trainers worked to keep him breathing.

The rural community is 11 miles from the nearest town, so after a 20-minute wait for an ambulance officials summoned a medical helicopter from Tyler, about 50 miles to the north.

Matthews remained in critical condition until dying Saturday night. No official cause of death has been determined.

He was the sixth high-school football player to die since early September, according to USA TODAY.

Kimberly Hinson, a friend of Matthews' family, told NBC News that Matthews had just finished a play when he said he was dizzy and then fell to the ground due to an aneurysm. She said the family doesn't think football was to blame for his death. 

"God took Cam'ron when he was ready. It's not football to blame," said Hinson. She said Matthews had been playing the game "ever since he was a young child."

Alto High School has an enrollment of almost 200 students.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
Contact Us