Days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest, a 16-year-old Nevada girl died after a flag football game.
Like Hamlin, Desert Oasis High School sophomore Ashari Hughes received medical attention on the football field to address her serious medical emergency. The NFL player has responded remarkably well, doctors at his Cincinnati hospital say, but the teenager died in a Las Vegas hospital.
Hughes collapsed around 7:30 p.m. Thursday after a home game against Valley High School, according to a Las Vegas Review-Journal report. She was hospitalized and died later that night.
High school Principal Ian Salzman emailed parents after Hughes was hospitalized, according to a Sportskeeda report.
“Staff immediately began providing medical aid and continued until paramedics arrived,” Salzman explained in his email. “It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that the student passed away. The school and the entire district mourn the loss of this young life.”
Aphelia Phifer-Hill posted Thursday night on Facebook that she rushed onto the field to perform CPR on Hughes, a teammate of her daughter.
“Today was the first time ever, in my 26 years of nursing that I had to do CPR on a kid,” she wrote, according to the Review-Journal report. The report noted Phifer-Hill did not immediately respond to a request for comment but appears to be a Nevada-licensed nurse.
Phifer-Hill explained that Hughes collapsed after the game, adding, “everyone was panicking.” She described attempts at chest compressions and using an external defibrillator.
“Her family was not at the game, but finally arrived,” the nurse continued. “We were able to get a heart rhythm.”
Phifer-Hill said the teen was hospitalized and intubated before she ultimately died.
“Love your kids, you never know when death is coming,” she advised followers.
Enttroda and Twayne Hughes described their daughter as a passionate, loving and determined girl.
“She loved music, dancing, and being around all the people she loved,” the parents declared in a GoFundMe fundraiser statement. “She called football the real love of her life!” The campaign has raised $24,853 toward its $50,000 goal Saturday afternoon.
“Hold the #7 up high for her!” the Hughes’ added. “It was her first football number and she always wanted to represent it well!”