Mississippi player collapses, dies at football practice

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Mississippi player collapses, dies at football practice

In Mississippi, a Mount Olive High School football player collapsed during practice Wednesday and died at a hospital later.

Lonnie Magee, 17, is the second football player to die in Covington County this summer. James Shorts died during an informal workout in July after an aortic aneurysm ruptured.

Covington County Coroner Chris DaQuila said he is not sure what killed Magee.

"It could have been heat stroke," he said. "It could have been something else. I just don't know right now."

Temperatures were in the high 90s across central Mississippi on Wednesday.

FIND MORE STORIES IN: Wednesday | Jackson | Mississippi | High School football | Dyer | Magee

The team had just finished a water break when Magee, a junior lineman, collapsed, Mount Olive player Jason McNair said in an article at www.clarionledger.com.

"We always take water breaks because it's so hot and what's happened with other players," McNair said. "We started back practicing and all of a sudden he just fell."

Magee's body was sent to Jackson for an autopsy.

Meanwhile, in Tennessee, the father of a Gibson County High School football player who collapsed during practice and later died says there was no need to perform an autopsy.

"We just thought it was pointless," said Tom Orr, Will Orr's father. "We felt confident that it didn't have anything to do with heat or practicing."

Will Orr, 16, was a junior on the team that was having its third practice of the year in full pads. He collapsed Aug. 1, a half-hour into practice, and was taken by ambulance to a Dyer, Tenn., hospital, where he died. High temperatures in Dyer, about 30 miles north of Jackson, Tenn., were in the upper 90s when the player collapsed.

"We think he had some unknown medical condition," Tom Orr said. "I think it was just a very unfortunate situation."

He said the school is working on a memorial for his son, including covering his old metal locker with Plexiglas to display his jersey.

Head coach Jason Dyer said coaches were careful not to work the teenage players too hard.

Dyer said it is "almost a little comforting" to know the player's father didn't believe Will Orr's death was heat-related.

"But it doesn't change the fact you lost a player," Dyer said. "There may be some sense of relief, but it's still like losing a child."

Authorities have not released the cause of death.

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Hear about this more every year.

[stang4life]

I'm sorry, but I think that I would want a definitive answer as to why my child collapsed and died.   :-\

That being said...it is always sad to hear of anyone, but especially a young kid dieing.  Hopefully, more precautions are being taken everywhere (which I am sure that they are) to keep this type of tragedy from happening here.

[tvc184]

I'm sorry, but I think that I would want a definitive answer as to why my child collapsed and died.   :-\

The thought of autopsies are more important to some people than to know what killed someone. They don't want their loved ones cut up. I guess each of us has to decide sometimes what is most important. What a sad situation to have to make a decision. I might want to know also but hopefully won't ever be faced with such a difficult decision.

[patitan]

what's so hard??? healthy kid dies for no reason.loved ones being cut open is a horsepucky reason not to get an autopsy. theway they are cut,you never knew they were cut.besides,all the funerals i went to had clothes on the body. not sound cold and heartless,but they are gone.they won't feel the cut.it's like people saying " i don't won't to be incinerated because i don't won't my body burned"

[Cardfan]

You would think with his age the Dr. would order 1 anyway.  I have never heard of such.  I am sure someone is wanting to rule out foul play. 

Prayers to the families

[AJ25]

very sad

[tvc184]

what's so hard??? healthy kid dies for no reason.loved ones being cut open is a horsepucky reason not to get an autopsy. theway they are cut,you never knew they were cut.besides,all the funerals i went to had clothes on the body. not sound cold and heartless,but they are gone.they won't feel the cut.it's like people saying " i don't won't to be incinerated because i don't won't my body burned"

I have been to a few autopsies. I don't have a problem with them but I can see where the parents of young children have a problem with it.

[baddog]

Until a person has a child die an early death, I don't think they should tell these folks how to feel about anything. Keep your opinions to yourself instead of plastering them all over message boards.

What a terrible tragedy. May God grant them the strength to bear this awful burden.