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Michigan High School Player Dies After Scoring Winning Basket in Overtime

This is one of the saddest stores of the year. Wes Leonard, 16, had just achieved the dream of a basketball player — scoring the winning basket in overtime for his high school. He then collapsed and died.

The Fennville High School player in Michigan had just scored and the crowd erupted in joy when he collapsed on the court. The team had won 57-55 over Bridgman in a remarkable 20-0 season.
It was a wonderful moment for Leonard who was also a quarterback on the football team.

I can only imagine the shock and pain for his parents and friends. The cause of death is not known at this time.

This is the second death of an athlete at the school this year, though there appears to be no relation in the tragedies. It is, however, a horrific double loss for this school and its community.

Source: Washington Post

11 thoughts on “Michigan High School Player Dies After Scoring Winning Basket in Overtime”

  2. Condolences, of course, but I also hope they did a tox screen on him as part of the autopsy. He looks awfully muscular for a 16-year-old, and could have been on steroids.

  3. Pingback: "Wes Leonard Dies: High School Basketball Player Collapses After Game-Winning Shot" and related posts | ItsStillAmerica.com

  4. This is so sad. Fennville was the next town down the road from where we lived at Hamilton, Michigan. It’s a very very small farming community where the same guys and gals are on the team in all the sports. For the school to lose two athletes in one year is horrendous and against all odds. My heart goes out to the friends and families in their sorrow.

  6. This sad story reminds me of Robert Browning’s tribute:

    So, when Persia was dust, all cried, “To Acropolis!
    Run, Pheidippides, one race more! the meed is thy due!
    Athens is saved, thank Pan, go shout!” He flung down his shield
    Ran like fire once more: and the space ‘twixt the fennel-field
    And Athens was stubble again, a field which a fire runs through,
    Till in he broke: “Rejoice, we conquer!” Like wine through clay,
    Joy in his blood bursting his heart,-the bliss!

    Browning, “Pheidippides”

  7. As a proud parent it makes me so sad thinking of this boy’s parent’s pain.

  8. I saw this story and it really saddened me. Words cannot describe the pain when a parent loses a child. I hope your family and faith can help you get through this horrible time.

  9. Maaarrghk!,

    “I hope his Family find consolation in the fact that he went out on a high, doing something he enjoyed.”

    Ditto.

  10. I hope his Family find consolation in the fact that he went out on a high, doing something he enjoyed.

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