NEED TO KNOW
Bryson Funk, a 10-year-old Pennsylvania boy, has died after experiencing an “unexpected” cardiac event the day after his baseball team won their championship game
Family said the boy was born with coarctation of the aorta and a deformed bicuspid aortic valve, but that doctors said his death was not related to them
More than $45,000 has been raised through a GoFundMe campaign started to support Funk’s family following his sudden passing
A 10-year-old boy has died after going into cardiac arrest one day after his baseball team won their championship game.
Bryson Funk died on June 12 after the “unexpected” cardiac event earlier that day, according to a GoFundMe campaign.
The Dauphin County boy was a pitcher for the Linglestown Colts, according to CBS affiliate WHP. His teammate, 9-year-old Elias Vilfort, said Funk struck out the last batter of the game on June 11 to win the championship.
The next day, Funk went into “cardiac arrest brought on by myocarditis,” according to GoFundMe organizer Nicki Brantner, who is a cousin of Funk’s mom.
Family told WHP that Funk was born with coarctation of the aorta and a deformed bicuspid aortic valve. However, they said doctors did not believe the boy’s death was related to those conditions.
Family members’ hearts are “shattered” by Funk’s sudden death, Brantner wrote in the description of the GoFundMe campaign, which has garnered more than $45,000 in donations.
“[It’s] something no one could have ever imagined happening to such a vibrant, active guy,” Brantner wrote alongside what she said was “the last picture his parents took of him” from the day of his baseball championship.
Funk pitched the last three innings of the game before striking out the final batter for an “amazing championship win,” Brantner said, describing Funk as “quite the athlete.”
“His parents are now facing what no parent should ever endure,” she added. She shared a bible verse from Psalm 34:18, which reads, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
Funk liked to collect baseball cards and enjoyed trips to Hersheypark, Vilfort said, according to WHP. He said several people have donated baseball cards in Funk’s honor since his death.
“I’m just still shocked that this happened, and I never even thought of this happening,” Vilfort told the news outlet.
717 Athletics, a nonprofit competitive cheer organization that Funk participated in, paid tribute to the late child in a post on its Facebook page.
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“We are devastated to share the unexpected and tragic passing of Bryson Funk,” the organization said. “Bryson brought so much joy, laughter, and light into the lives of all who knew him. His time with us was far too short, but the love he gave and the memories he created will forever live on in our hearts.”
The Peyton Walker Foundation, which raises awareness around youth heart health in central Pennsylvania, honored Funk in a post on Facebook.
“We are heartbroken at the Peyton Walker Foundation to learn of the tragic loss of Bryson Funk, a young athlete in our community,” the foundation wrote. “Our hearts go out to the family, friends, and all who are grieving. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
In addition to the GoFundMe campaign, a Meal Train has also been started for Funk’s family following the boy’s death.
Read the original article on People
