People in Illinois are sad about the death of a 14-year-old high school freshman who passed out during a girls’ basketball game.
The Daily Journal said that Amari Crite, a student at Momence High School, passed out on the court during a junior varsity game against Tri-Point on Thursday.
The Kankakee County Coroner’s Office said they are still looking into what caused the death.
Shannon Anderson, who is in charge of the school district in Momence, which is south of Chicago, spoke out about the tragedy early Friday morning.
“We are very sad to confirm the heartbreaking news that one of our 9th-grade students has died,” Anderson wrote.
“Our hearts and prayers are with the family and friends who have lost someone dear.”
He said that mental health counselors would be available to help people who are having a hard time dealing with the emotional effects of this tragedy.
Along with the mental health and grief counselors in Kankakee County who have volunteered their time to help our community during this difficult time, Anderson wrote, “we are deeply grateful to these groups.”
He also said, “Right now, our main goal is to help each other and give our community the tools it needs to deal with this loss.”
The sheriff’s office in the area also sent their condolences.
“During this tough time, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office stands with the Momence School District.” They wrote on Facebook, “Friends, family, and classmates are all in our thoughts and prayers.”
As of Monday morning, a GoFundMe page set up by Amari’s family had raised more than $47,000.
“As some, but not all, of you may know, our sweet baby girl died last night, January 25, when she passed out at her basketball game,” the family wrote. No matter who you are, please help us give her the proper send-off she deserves.
One of the people who donated money wrote, “As a former coach who saw a player pass out on the court (luckily she was okay), I will never forget how scared that made me and the other players.”
“You can’t forget seeing a player leave in an ambulance or, worse, a hearse.” The person also said, “My family and I are praying for her family, coach, teammates, and school districts.”