An Ohio high school football player died Sunday from an injury to his abdomen suffered in a game last Friday.
Andre Jackson, 17, was rushed to University Hospitals Medical Center on Friday after he suffered an injury in Euclid High School’s game against Solon, according to multiple reports. The Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Medical Examiner said Jackson died of peritonitis, or inflammation of the abdominal cavity lining, which resulted from a small-bowel laceration caused by blunt impact to his abdomen.
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Jackson was released from University Hospital’s Ahuja Medical Center on Saturday morning but was taken to another hospital, UH’s Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, on Sunday evening, where he later died, Cleveland.com reported. The hospital said in a statement to Cleveland.com that it is conducting a full review of Jackson’s care and that hospital officials plan to meet with Jackson’s family.
Jackson, a junior fullback and linebacker, suffered the injury on a pooch kickoff by Solon, during which he was kicked or kneed in the stomach area. Staff members tended to Jackson for several minutes before helping him off the field, where he never lost consciousness, Euclid schools spokeswoman Audrey Holzman told Cleveland.com.
“It was a normal play,” Holzman told the news outlet. “It was nothing out of the ordinary at the time.”
The Solon City School District released video of the play in which Jackson was injured, ABC News reported.
Euclid City Schools said it would play its homecoming game Friday as scheduled. There will be a moment of silence for Jackson and a balloon release prior to the game.
Euclid head football coach Jeff Rotsky talked about Jackson to News 5 Cleveland on Sunday night.
“He is irreplaceable,” Rotsky said. “There will never be a smile like Andre Jackson’s. No matter how much you asked him to do, he would do it for you. That’s the type of young man we unfortunately lost today.”
RIP Andre Jackson. Andre was a high school football player. He passed away from injuries suffered playing on Friday. Thoughts & prayers. pic.twitter.com/cBY6iKnidi
— Cleveland Sportsline (@CLEsportsline) September 26, 2016
