A Las Vegas teenager was found unresponsive in his school’s restroom after suffering cardiac arrest for unexplained reasons, according to his family.
Jordan Brister, 18, who attended Amplus Academy in Las Vegas, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 8. The teenager was found unconscious in the school bathroom on Jan. 3 after attending a sports class. He was taken to the hospital after receiving emergency medical attention but all efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.
“It is with deep sadness and sympathy that we announce the passing of one of our Senior High School students, Jordan Brister. The Amplus community sends our love and condolences to the Brister family as well as to all of Jordan’s family, friends and acquaintances,” the school wrote on its Facebook page.
According to Clark County Coroner’s Office, it is currently still unclear what caused his heart to fail and the exact cause is being investigated.
In a statement to FOX 5 Vegas, Jordan’s mother, Savanna Brister, said that her son was a selfless, respectful, Southern gentleman who was kind to everyone. She added that he had planned to join the military after graduating.
“Jordan was witty and charming. He wanted to join the military to become a para rescue jumper to save others. He was a wise, older brother who cared deeply for his brother and sister. Jordan was truly everything you could ask for and more. He had a heart of gold.”
Family friend Lacie Cowley has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. Her campaign has raised over $45,000, with an initial goal of $20,000.
“Words cannot express what the Brister family is going through and there will never be enough answers as to why this has happened. He was an amazing kid who loved life to the fullest,” she told NBC5.
According to Southern Hills hospital, Brister was an organ donor. A video shared on social media on Jan. 11 shows health care workers along the hospital hallways as Brister was transferred to an operating room. The procession is known as an “honor walk.”
“It was our honor to care for Jordan Brister. Jordan, we honor you.” the hospital wrote in a caption beneath the video.
The same week as Brister’s death, another Las Vegas high school student died of sudden heart failure. Ashari Hughes, a 16-year-old, collapsed following a flag football game at Desert Oasis High School on Jan. 5, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Weeks before the teens’ death, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, 24, also collapsed on Jan. 2 after suffering cardiac arrest on the field in a game against the Bengals. After he was given CPR, Hamlin was taken to a local hospital, where his condition stabilized enough for him to be transferred a week later.