17-Year-Old High School Student Dies Suddenly After Suffering ‘Critical Medical Emergency’ During Flag Football Game

A member of the senior class and a team captain at The Weber School in Sandy Springs, Georgia, suddenly collapsed during a flag football game on Wednesday and later died.

Eitan Force, 17, suffered a ‘critical medical emergency on the field’ during a flag football game and was transported to the hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the letter sent by The Weber School to students, parents, faculty, and staff.

Below is the statement released by the school following the tragic incident:

This afternoon during a Weber flag football game, a member of the senior class, Eitan Force, suffered a critical medical emergency on the field. Our trainers and staff immediately went to his aid prior to the arrival of emergency healthcare professionals. Eitan was transported to a local hospital for further care. Tragically, we received word that Eitan passed away earlier this evening.

With respect for their privacy, Eitan’s parents request that we do not reach out or contact the family at this time.

By now, many Weber students and parents are aware of and processing this terrible loss. Currently, we are taking appropriate measures to provide comfort to our students, faculty, staff, and parents.

Weber will cancel classes for tomorrow, Thursday, September 21, 2022. However, to meet the needs of our students, faculty and staff, and parents, Ms. Jordan Crawford, School Psychologist, is working with crisis counseling resources from Jewish and educational agencies to arrange for counseling services to be made available at school tomorrow. Once we confirm these resources as well as a precise plan and schedule, we will send you an update later this evening or tomorrow morning with specific details.

Formal gatherings for the senior class will be shared directly with our seniors and their families.

We are deeply grateful for the expressions of love and support that so many of you have already shared upon hearing this tragic news. Following the ethics and practices of Jewish tradition and the longstanding traditions of The Weber School community, we are confident that all students, parents, faculty, and staff will work together to support Eitan’s parents and family in the ways that they need and desire.

For now, send wishes for comfort for the Force family and all of Eitan’s close friends and classmates.

There is still no information available regarding Eitan’s cause of death.

According to his obituary, Eitan died while “doing one of the things he enjoyed the most—playing football; a captain of the team, he had just thrown a touchdown in the team’s senior-night game.”

“Eitan also loved music and traveling, having visited Israel, England, Italy, Spain, and, most recently a family trip to Hawaii as well as many visits to New Orleans to see family. Recently elected to the National Honor Society, Eitan had a wide array of academic interests, which he planned to pursue in college.”

Eitan is survived by his father, Dr. Seth Force, mother, Dr. Sara Marder, brother Asher, grandparents, and other relatives.

Graveside services were held on Thursday at Arlington Memorial Park.

CBS46’s award-winning reporter Rebekka Schramm paid tribute to Eitan.

“Sending thoughts and prayers to friends and family of the young man who died. He was a senior at The Weber School in Sandy Springs. He collapsed while playing flag football yesterday. As a mom of teenagers, my heart just breaks.”

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Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.

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