“Didn’t Know That It Was Going to Be His Last Day”: Grieving Mother Demands Answers as 12-Year-Old Son Collapses Weeks After Damar Hamlin Incident

The football world came to a standstill after news of a devastating tragedy emerged. 12-year-old Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia set about his day in the usual fashion. But, the most normal circumstances quickly became a mother’s worst nightmare.

A student of KIPP Rise Academy in New Jersey, Elijah’s regular day activity became a tragedy that no amount of consolation could make better. Here’s a look at the fateful incident that occurred in Newark on February 10.

Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia, unfortunately, did not have the miraculous recovery Damar Hamlin experienced

Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia was reportedly running drills at football practice when he collapsed. His mother, Raven Brown, received a phone call that every parent dreads. 12-year-old Elijah reportedly collapsed on the field and was unresponsive. He was rushed to a local hospital where he later passed away. His grieving mother, who is still processing the loss of her young son demanded answers.

According to the People Magazine, Raven reported that her son was a healthy child and this tragedy could never have been foreseen. She said, “He was so happy to be there. He didn’t know that it was going to be his last day. No contact. It was just drills, running back and forth. He didn’t get hit. He was a healthy kid…I don’t know why Friday night was his day.” She also stated that after arriving on the scene, the ambulance took a while to get there.

On January 2, the NFL world shocked by the collapse of Damar Hamlin after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field.  CPR may have saved Hamlin’s life on that fateful day. While the Buffalo Bills safety made a miraculous recovery, the need to make CPR certification more common, especially in the sport became his top priority.

Read More: Tragedy Strikes as 12-Year-Old Boy Dies During Football Practice

Many coaches and big names in the sports world have taken to spreading the word about the importance of being CPR-certified. Unfortunately, the coaches at KIPP Rise Academy could not administer CPR to Elijah when he collapsed. In light of the incident, Hamlin expressed his condolences and reiterated his mission.

Elijah’s collapse serves as a resounding reminder of the need for CPR-certification

When Raven received the dreaded call from her younger son, her agitated questions, “What are they doing? What is anybody doing?” emphasized all that needed to be said about the situation. Calling the management “neglectful,” she stated that Elijah’s coach had apologized for the fact that no one was CPR certified. She also added that in light of what had occurred, the coach was making CPR certification a priority.

A memorial for Elijah Jordan Brown-Garcia was planned, alongside a balloon release in his memory. While the family awaited answers with regard to the cause of his passing, the football world joined hands in support of the family with their donations for Elijah’s funeral.

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It’s truly devastating to witness the prioritization of skills like the administration of CPR only after the occurrence of an irreversible tragedy. Hopefully, this solidifies the need to be properly trained for such situations in order to avoid further loss.