Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia died after collapsing at football practice on Friday, February 10.
He just turned 12 two months ago.
Elijah’s family is still looking for answers to what happened.
According to NBC New York, the tragic event took place in Newark at a youth team’s training while Elijah Jordon Brown-Garcia was doing two of the things he loved most: spending time with his younger brother and getting ready for football practice.
Elijah played for the Essex County Predators, a team owned by Bloomfield-based Big 21.
With the season still months away, Elijah was practicing football at West Side Park together with his 10-year-old brother Mekhi.
Without warning, Elijah passed out. Mekhi immediately contacted his mom, and another parent dialed 911, but no one performed CPR. The coach was running errands when the incident happened.
“He didn’t get hit, like no contact or anything. He ran about 20 yards, said he was going to take a little break. I don’t think he took enough time,” said brother Mekhi Stradford.
Raven Brown, his mother, was shocked by the incident because her son had no history of health issues, News 12 reported.
“No contact. It was just drills running back and forth. He didn’t get hit,” Brown says. “He was a healthy kid…I don’t know why Friday night was his day.”
Brown said that her 10-year-old son Mekhi called to tell her that Elijah had suddenly collapsed and was no longer responsive.
Brown claims she arrived at the location before the ambulance did. She claimed it took two calls from those on the field and a third from her before an ambulance arrived.
“I beat the ambulance there,” Brown says. “Like 30-40 minutes. It took them a long time.”
Elijah was taken to University Hospital where he later died.
No details have been released on the cause of death.
His mom informed RLS Media that an autopsy will be performed by the state regional medical examiner’s office.
A fundraising campaign was created to help with the funeral.
Watch the video below:
12-Year-Old New Jersey Boy Dies Suddenly After Collapsing at Football Practice
“His mom says he wasn’t tackled and he wasn’t hit either. One problem, no one there knew CPR.” pic.twitter.com/gtYWVkTRig
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 17, 2023
RIP
