Today, news outlets are reporting that a 21-year-old football player at the United States Air Force Academy died suddenly as he walked from his dorm room to class on Monday morning.
Hunter Brown was a Louisiana offensive lineman who passed out on campus and could not be brought back to life after a sudden medical emergency.
Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, who is in charge of the USAF, said in a statement that Brown was a “standout on the field” and a “well-respected” member of his squadron.
“Hunter was a great offensive lineman for the Falcons football team, and everyone in his squadron looked up to him,” he said. “Everyone at the U.S. Air Force Academy is saddened by his death, and our hearts and condolences go out to his family, his squadron, and anyone else whose life he touched.”
In his own statement, USAF’s head football coach Troy Calhoun said that Brown’s parents “raised a wonderful son” who made everyone around him “a better person.”
“Our players, coaches, and the whole Academy have been so lucky to have Hunter in our lives. “He was a real pleasure to coach and play with,” Calhoun said.
“He was tough and a hard worker, and no one helped other people more without being selfish than Hunter. Candyce and Dustin, his parents, raised a great kid who made all of us better people. We love our great brother Hunter, and his amazing soul and his family are in our thoughts and prayers,” he said.
“With heavy hearts, we share the loss of a cadet,” the Academy said in a tweet that included a photo of the late Hunter Brown. “C3C Hunter Brown died Monday after having a medical emergency on his way to class. We are thinking of his family, friends, teammates, and other cadets.
The Commander of the Cadets also said, “It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that I tell you that one of our own has died. He leaves behind friends who are sad, teammates who are sad, a cadet wing that is sad, and a family who is sad.
Outkick said that Brown was a member of Cadet Squadron 16 and was majoring in management in addition to playing football. This information came from his bio on the Academy’s website.
Brown was a sophomore and came from Lake Charles, Louisiana, according to his bio on the Air Force Academy Athletics website. Brown was in Cadet Squadron 16 and was studying for a major in management and a minor in French.
Outkick also said that Brown “was on an Air Force football team that won its games in both 2021 and 2022.
Brown’s death comes after another NFL player passed out suddenly on the field during a game.
Damar Hamlin, who plays defense for the Buffalo Bills, has been in the hospital since a game on January 2 against the Cincinnati Bengals. In that game, Hamlin made what seemed like a normal tackle and stood up after the play, only to fall backwards from a heart attack.
Many doctors have said that Hamlin’s illness was caused by something called commotio cordis.