More Disturbing Reports Emerge of Young Athletes Collapsing, Dying Suddenly

A teenage girl has become the latest young person to suddenly collapse and die in the middle of a sporting event. It's just one of many disturbing headlines involving sudden death among young people, often involving heart incidents among athletes in their prime.

Ashari Hughes, only 16 years old, was in the middle of playing flag football, a game she loved, when she started experiencing chest problems, a family member told KVVU-TV.

She went to the sidelines to rest but then collapsed. 

Ashari was hospitalized and died later that night. The cause and manner of death have still not been determined. 

"Vibrant, intelligent, beautiful, resilient, and determined are just a few of the words to describe one phenomenal human being who has inspired and impacted so many lives in the 16 years she shared with us," her father, Enttroda Hughes, wrote in a message to the Review-Journal Saturday.

A family member told KVVU-TV that the young girl had been having heart problems and was seeing a cardiologist, but she was previously cleared by a doctor to play the sport. "We let her continue to play with the stipulations that we have to trust her to make the best decision when she's feeling her chest getting tight," Hughes said. 

Air Force Cadet Collapses and Dies

In another tragic episode, on Monday, January 9, a 21-year-old Air Force cadet suddenly collapsed and died while on his way to class.  Cadet 3rd Class Hunter Brown of Lake Charles, Louisiana had been an Air Force Academy football star.

"Hunter was a standout offensive lineman on the Falcon football team and was well-respected in his squadron," said Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent.

Brown was pursuing a major in management, a minor in French, and had completed back-to-back winning seasons in 2021 and 2022 with Falcon football.

ODU Basketball Player Collapses on the Court

Meanwhile, an Old Dominion University men's basketball player collapsed during the middle of a game against Georgia Southern on Saturday. 

In a video, Sophomore Imo Essien can be seen clutching his chest before collapsing on the court. He did not pass out but remained conscious as medical personnel attended to him. He later managed to walk off the court with some assistance. 

After the game, Old Dominion University Men's basketball released a statement concerning the incident.

Statement Regarding Imo Essien pic.twitter.com/Tyycn2CPwi

— ODU Men’s Basketball (@ODU_MBB) January 8, 2023

Essien was kept out of practice on Monday and is scheduled to meet with cardiologists to undergo tests and examinations.

Of course, the biggest headline of all, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's chilling collapse last Monday, still has the sports world shaken up, despite the athlete showing remarkable signs of improvement.

Disturbing Trend Among Young People

These latest incidents signal a disturbing trend among healthy athletes, and some are questioning whether mRNA-based vaccines are the culprit. At this point, it's unclear if any of the tragic events are connected, or if the athletes were even vaccinated, but the increasing number of cases during the pandemic era is raising alarms nonetheless. 

As CBN News has reported, researchers with the Florida Department of Health found that the mRNA vaccines are associated with an 84% increase in cardiac-related adverse events among males 18-39 years old.

And countries like Japan, Norway, Denmark, and Finland began warning their citizens in 2021 that mRNA COVID shots could cause serious heart problems in young men, like myocarditis and pericarditis. Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle and pericarditis is inflammation of the lining outside the heart.

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The CDC has put forth an advisory warning to Americans, but the government agency claims "myocarditis and pericarditis have rarely been reported."

More Examples of Young People Collapsing

Meanwhile, other seemingly healthy young adults have suddenly experienced deadly cardiac episodes in the years since COVID-19 vaccines were pushed. 

Last month, a 25-year-old former University of Central Florida student and football player died. According to Times Now News, Jake Hescock, known for his fitness and stamina, went into cardiac arrest while jogging in Boston. 

We’re heartbroken to hear of Jake’s passing. He was an incredible person, who embodied what it means to be a UCF Knight. Everyone who knew Jake loved him and he was a blessing to coach.He will be greatly missed. Kristi and I’s prayers are with his whole family. pic.twitter.com/xaCUlpitbC

— Coach Gus Malzahn (@CoachGusMalzahn) December 11, 2022

One of Denmark's premiere soccer players, Christian Eriksen, now 30 years old, famously came incredibly close to death in 2021 when his heart stopped in the middle of a match against Finland. Emergency responders had to use a defibrillator to restart his heart, NBC reports.

And former Jacksonville Jaguars and Purdue football guard Uche Nwaneri died at 38 last Monday from a heart attack.

READ: Teen Athlete Survives Mysterious 6-Foot Blood Clot, but Now Football Is Off the Table