Latest high school football player death in weeks sounds alarm on the safety

[Music] Florida high school football player dead at 18 after collapsing during game a Florida high school football player died after collapsing during a game on Friday night chance Gainer played wide receiver and defensive back for Port St Joe High School the 18-year old senior collapsed during a game at Liberty County High School Gainer was running tore the play when he went down Port St Joe athletic director vice principal Tim Davis told the Northwest Florida Daily News coaches rushed to his side when he went down and called for paramedics immediately he just went to the ground suddenly Davis told the outlet Gainer who scored a touchdown in the game was taken to a hospital in an ambulance he later died at the hospital Davis said there were about for minutes left in Friday's game when school officials learned of the teen's death the decision was made to finish the game with Port St Joe winning 2820 gainor's teammates were then told of his death the scene was heartbreaking parents came down on the field to comfort their kids such a helpless feeling Davis said Gainer was an honored student who visited Vanderbilt University to discuss possibly attending there Gul County school superintendent Jim Norton told WJ HGTV gainor had worldclass speed but more importantly had a worldclass personality Norton said there were seven deaths of high school and middle school football players in August alone prompting warnings from parents and officials about taking better safety measures mty McNair father of 19-year-old Jordan McNair of Randall's Town Maryland who collapsed during football practice in 2018 and died of heat stroke told our Z news in a recent interview that has the fall football season really gets into the thick of it parents should prioritize their children's safety first the national Center for catastrophic sport injury research reported 16 total football related deaths in 2023 nine of those 16 victims were in middle or High School in the months of July and August over the past three academic years there were six football deaths in 202 1 three in 2022 and two in 2023 according to nccs IR statistics our Z news Audrey Conlan and the Associated Press contributed to this report