A 17-year-old girl collapsed and died during her high school’s homecoming festivities, Ohio officials say and news outlets report.
Bre McKean, a senior at Mapleton High School, had an unknown medical emergency when she was on the football field prior to a homecoming football game Friday, Sept. 29, Mapleton Local Schools said in a statement.
McKean, who reportedly collapsed while being announced on the homecoming court, died at an Ashland hospital that night, according to WEWS.
Mapleton High School football coach Matt Stafford said he learned at halftime McKean died, according to the Akron Beacon Journal. The remainder of the game and the next day’s homecoming dance were canceled, the school district said.
McKean was announced earlier in the week as one of three students up for the title of homecoming queen. Pictures shared on Facebook by Rachael Leibolt show her being honored on the field before Friday’s game.
A cause of death is pending an autopsy, the Ashland Source reported.
McKean played volleyball, softball and basketball at the school, where her father is the athletic director, WEWS reported.
One of her former teachers, Anne Ditlevson, said in a Facebook post McKean was a leader in the classroom and had a funny, positive demeanor.
“I always knew she would achieve great things, with her amazing attitude, ability to work hard, her sense of humor, and her ability to rally everyone together,” Ditlevson said.
One of McKean’s classmates called her “the life of the party.”
“If you’re from the outside looking in you can tell Bre loves life.. every picture she’s smiling,” Eastyn Rohr said in a Facebook post. “Always with her friends, she has so many. She walks in a room either dancing, singing, yelling, laughing, or making vlogs — that’s Bre.”
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