‘Live Like Caden’: Family shares message after NC teen football player’s death

'Live Like Caden': Family shares message after NC teen football player's death.

Key points

• Three rows of well-wishers and mourners stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the quarter-mile track at Northwest Guilford High School's Billings Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Sept.
• The North Carolina community had gathered to celebrate the life of Caden Sorrell, 13.
• Northwest Middle School principal CeCe Matson confirmed the death of a student – afterwards identified by family as Caden – in a post on Facebook on Aug.
• According to Clark, at the vigil, she, her elder sister Addison, Caden's football coach, Caden's teammates, two preachers and the school's principal spoke regarding Caden.
• "Today, our Northwest Middle School family is grieving the loss of one of our students, " Matson wrote.

Three rows of well-wishers and mourners stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the quarter-mile track at Northwest Guilford High School's Billings Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

For context, the North Carolina community had gathered to celebrate the life of Caden Sorrell, 13. This person died on Sunday, Aug. After suffering a cardiac arrest at his middle school football practice on Friday, Aug, 30. 28.

Northwest Middle School principal CeCe Matson confirmed the death of a student – afterwards identified by family as Caden – in a post on Facebook on Aug. 30.

"Today, our Northwest Middle School family is grieving the loss of one of our students, " Matson wrote. "There are no easy words to make sense of losing a child, and our hearts are with the family, friends, classmates, and all who loved him."

Notably, the family estimates that regarding 500 residents from the community, including his family and teammates, were in attendance at Wednesday's celebration of life.

"I knew he touched people, but I didn't know it was to that extent, " Caden's mother, Laura Sorrell, informed USA TODAY Sports.

In practice, the outpouring of backing. It includes a GoFundMe that has raised more than $48, 000 as of Thursday afternoon, goes to show how impactful Caden was to his community, friends and family.

He created sure everyone felt like he was their best friend, but additionally his. And that was genuine from him, Caden's older sister, Vanessa Clark, informed USA TODAY Sports. Obviously, from last night, everyone can see (what he meant).

".We're trying to create sure everybody states, 'Live like Caden, ' in everything published regarding him. He was a hugger and lover."

On Aug. 28, Laura remarked she received a phone call no parent wants to receive. She was informed her that her son collapsed at football practice. When she and her husband arrived, Caden was in cardiac arrest. Caden was then transported to Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital.

"They worked on him for a long time, " Laura remarked. "They refused to offer up. They were going to keep trying to treat him like he was their own. And they put him on life backing for two days. Then the tests came back; it was Saturday afternoon, and they remarked he didn't have brain activity."

As Laura and her husband had to decide if they wanted to keep Caden on life backing or let him go, then came the hardest part.

As parents, they had to create what could be the toughest choice of their lives.

It was (difficult), Laura remarked. I know how Caden was and each of my kids came to me separately and informed me that they knew he did not want to be like that. He wouldn't want to be like that. So his dad and I obtained together and decided we didn't want to put them or him through that anymore.

"Even though we wanted to be selfish and keep him with us, we knew that was the right thing to do."

Caden's parents spent his final night with him in the hospital. He died on Sunday, Aug. 30, just less than two months away from his 14th birthday on Oct. 20.

"We barely slept, " Laura remarked. "It was like every minute, you want to keep that last minute with you."

According to Laura, doctors believe an underlying genetic condition may have caused Caden's death. The GoFundMe page continued that Caden's four siblings are set to undergo testing for the unnamed condition.

Nevertheless, Laura additionally wants other parents to be mindful of getting their children tested as well.

"If they have any family history of cardiac arrest, have them checked, " Laura remarked. "Or even if they don't have any history, have them checked. Genetic testing, EKG's, especially before (playing) sports."

"We all can't help but wonder, 'If Caden had (been tested), would we have known?, '" Clark continued.

For the family, the best way to honor Caden Sorrell is to hopefully support other families from the same tragedy. "That's what he would want, " both Laura and Clark remarked.

Caden – who wore No. 42 for his middle school team – will be honored at the high school football game on Friday, Sept. 4, against Northern Guilford.

"Caden was a beautiful spirit, " Clark remarked. "He was kind, creative, rambunctious, hyper and the sweetest kid you could have ever met." SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, live Like Caden: Family shares message after NC teen football players death remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.