Wash. Boy Collapses at Basketball Practice

Jan. 04--The boy who collapsed during basketball practice at La Center Middle School on Tuesday remained in critical condition Wednesday at a Portland hospital.

Cody Sherrell, 13, was listed in critical condition at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland, a nursing supervisor said.

Meanwhile classmates and teachers at his school attempted to get through the day as usual.

"It was very somber," Wednesday morning, said Mark Mansell, superintendent of the La Center School District. Staff is concerned and heavy hearted, he said.

Grief counselors will meet with the 40 other students that were at the practice and will be available through the day for others who would like to talk, Mansell said.

At this point it is unclear what caused Sherrell to collapse.

The teen's physical was clean and he reportedly had no prior existing medical conditions, Mansell said.

Mansell said the incident happened toward the end of the school's first day of basketball practice. The group was on a break when the boy sat down and then fell over, Mansell said.

Basketball coach Tom Rice immediately responded to the boy and provided CPR, Mansell said. The boy was breathing at first but later "faded away," he said.

Clark County Fire & Rescue responded to the middle school just before 5 p.m. Firefighters began administering CPR and took the boy to Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, La Center Police Chief Tim Hopkin said.

The boy was transferred to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland later in the day.

Superintendent Mansell visited with the family at Legacy Salmon Creek. He said the boy's parents were shaken. They came to greet him and wanted to make sure their son's teammates and fellow students were supported. They are "very unselfish people"" he said.

"It's heartbreaking" Mansell said. "Our La Center family is very close a tremendous number of our staff are deeply affected by this."

.

Copyright 2012 - The Columbian, Vancouver, Wash.