Chicago teen becomes 7th high school football player to die from game related injuries

The 17-year-old Andre Smith is now the seventh high school football player to die after sustaining injuries during a game. He was taken to the hospital on Thursday night but passed away Friday morning.

TheGrio Staff

Oct 24, 2015

“It was a kick return play,” Stagg Stadium announcer Jimmy Smith told the Chicago Sun-Times. “(Smith) was running and a guy blocked him, hit him pretty good and that was it. He went down and he got back up, and walked back to the visitor’s side of the field.”

The paramedic who treated him when he got off the field was not sure when Andre began to have troubles.

“I was on my out and then they told me someone collapsed,” paramedic Garret Weston told the Sun-Times. “They told me he was hit in the helmet and he had a headache. He was unconscious by the time I got to him. I checked his vitals and gave him oxygen.”

When he was taken to the hospital, he was “unconscious but still breathing.”

“When I got here, he was still breathing, you know,” brother Erick Smith told ABC 7. “So, I guess that kind of gave me a sign of hope that everything was going to be OK with him.”

Unfortunately, Andre passed away, making him the seventh football player to die after a high school game.

Chicago Public Schools said in a statement, “Our hearts are heavy and saddened this morning to learn that one of our student athletes at Bogan High School has passed away. CPS grief counselors are on-site at Bogan to provide counseling for our students. We ask that you respect the privacy of the student’s family and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.”