NEW BROCKTON, Ala. — An autopsy found that an Alabama high school football player, who collapsed during summer practice, died from congestive heart failure, the county coroner announced Thursday,
Semaj Wilkins, a 14-year-old freshman at New Brockton High School, died in August after collapsing at the start of afternoon football practice.
The autopsy, performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, "determined that the cause of death was congestive heart failure due to cardiomegaly with biventricular hypertrophy, resulting from a coronary anomaly,” Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham wrote in a news release. The death was classified as natural, he said.
The Mayo Clinic's website defines cardiomegaly as an enlarged heart and ventricular hypertrophy as a thickening of the heart walls. The condition can cause the heart to fail to pump blood efficiently.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the Wilkins family during this difficult time. We also extend our support to the faculty, students, and staff of New Brockton High School," Woodham wrote.
New Brockton is a town of about 1,400 people located about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south of Montgomery.
After his death, Coffee County Schools Superintendent Kelly Cobb wrote in a statement on Facebook, “Semaj was a young man who brought joy and inspiration to his peers, teammates, coaches, and faculty members. His loss will be deeply felt by everyone who knew him.”
Wilkins’ mother, Regena Johnson-Adams, told WDHN that her son was one of the most caring and outgoing people she has ever met. He was eager to play high school football, she said.
“He just had a love for sports, period,” she told the station.
