A 13-year-old middle school student died a few days after suffering cardiac arrest during football practice.
Caden Sorrell, a Northwest Guilford Middle School student, collapsed Friday after running a lap around the field.
The sudden tragedy has left his family and school community in deep grief.
Sorrell wore the No. 42 jersey for the Vikings and loved the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Vanessa Clark, Sorrell’s older sister, explained the shock of learning about the emergency while she was shopping.
“I was actually in the middle of Walmart when I got the call. My mom called me, and I immediately rushed to him,” according to WXII and KMOV.
Describing her brother’s physical state prior to the incident, Clark expressed confusion about why it occurred.
“He was a picture of health,”
In remembering her brother’s character, Clark praised his warmth and intellect.
“Caden was an angel from heaven. He was brilliant, sweet, smart, kind. He made everybody around him feel loved,” per the outlets.
Clark also expressed her spiritual hope and love for her brother during his final days.
“I was praying for him, and I hoped that he got better, that he was healed, which he was spiritually. I’m there for him, and I love him,” the outlets reported.
In the wake of this loss, a GoFundMe fundraising page was established to assist the family.
Community members have also organized a public vigil for Wednesday evening.
Highlighting the financial challenges of medical safety measures, family friend Alan Vaughn spoke on efforts to spread awareness about automated external defibrillators.
“They’re very expensive; you can’t expect an AED to be in every room, but every little thing like this sometimes it takes to push the awareness,” per local outlets.
The community hopes to ensure these life-saving devices are placed in more accessible locations during athletic activities.