Sad sports story

[Rip Rokken]

Stories like this are incredibly rare, and sad....

http://rivals.yahoo.com/highschool/blog ... ool-329684

"Tragedy struck Western Michigan on Thursday night when Fennville (Mich.) High basketball star Wes Leonard hit a game-winning shot in a 57-55, overtime victory over Bridgman (Mich.) High, then collapsed on the court while celebrating the victory and was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly thereafter."

"The junior -- who was also the quarterback of the school's football team last fall -- not only hit the winning shot in the team's final regular-season game, but by doing so he also ensured that the Blackhawks would finish with a perfect, 20-0 record."

I'm sure something will get named after this kid in his memory.

[Saint John]

I saw this on the news and it's incredibly sad. I had to turn it off or I probably would have started crying. Man, that's just too young.

[Ehwmatt]

Yah, absolutely horrifying. I can't even imagine being the parents or teammates of that poor kid. The only possible SLIGHTEST BIT of consolation is to think that the kid went out doing what he loves, and doing it to the best of his abilities... like we'd all wanna go out.... but not at fucking 16. Just terrible.

[Melissa]

I saw this on the news and it's incredibly sad. I had to turn it off or I probably would have started crying. Man, that's just too young.

It is, and one of the many reasons we really push for parents to get an EKG done on their kid before the kid plays sports. I know they haven't released what caused this kid's death yet, but that sudden just makes it highly likely it was a pre-existing cardiac issue.

[Rip Rokken]

I saw this on the news and it's incredibly sad. I had to turn it off or I probably would have started crying. Man, that's just too young.

It is, and one of the many reasons we really push for parents to get an EKG done on their kid before the kid plays sports. I know they haven't released what caused this kid's death yet, but that sudden just makes it highly likely it was a pre-existing cardiac issue.

I didn't include that excerpt from the article, but you were exactly right -- it was due to an enlarged heart.

[Rip Rokken]

Yah, absolutely horrifying. I can't even imagine being the parents or teammates of that poor kid. The only possible SLIGHTEST BIT of consolation is to think that the kid went out doing what he loves, and doing it to the best of his abilities... like we'd all wanna go out.... but not at fucking 16. Just terrible.

It reminds me of an old friend of mine who passed away several years ago. He also had a heart issue, but was one of the best drummers in the city. He was touring with a praise and worship band, and passed away at his kit during a show in Alaska. That was exactly what people said about him -- that he went out doing what he enjoyed, and wasn't willing to put down his passion for playing due to his medical condition. He just took it one day at a time.

[Behshad]

I saw this on the news and it's incredibly sad. I had to turn it off or I probably would have started crying. Man, that's just too young.

You do have a soft side ....

[mikemarrs]

An athletic 20 year man is playing basketball and suddenly collapses on the court and dies.

On a hot July day, a young and vibrant college football player suddenly makes a great tackle and never gets up.. only to be pronounced dead 5 minutes later.

High School track runner dies after finishing second in a race.

The sad truth is 1 out of 50,000 young adults will fall victim to Sudden Death.

Most sudden deaths have been linked to a thickened, enlarged heart called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), or by a condition that disturbs the rhythm of the heart called an arrhythmia.

When one sweats, a significant amount of magnesium is lost. Magnesium is the most under-recognized electrolyte disorder in the U.S. Dr. Mildred Seelig, one of the country's leading authorities on magnesium suggests that 80%-90% of the population is deficient is magnesium.

It is beyond the extent of this article why the public is being denied the truth of the seriousness of magnesium deficiency and sudden death. The amount of medical research could fill a book, but it is unfortunately being ignored.

According to Micheal A. Brodsky M.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Medicine and the director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at the University of California.. mineral imbalances interfere with the heart's normal nerve function.

While most athletes have been conditioned to drink a potassium rich drink after sweating.. very few have been educated on the dangers of a magnesium deficiency. Dr. Brodsky states that arrhythmia therapy should focus on replenishing two key minerals: potassium and magnesium.

Almost all physicians have known for some time just how vital potassium is for normal heartbeat. Magnesium is an entirely different story, however.

According to Carla Sueta M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of medicine and cardiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine "apparently, many doctors still don't realize how important a role this mineral can play in some heart patients. In fact, most never check the magnesium level. She has shown through her research that magnesium reduced the incidence of several types of ventricular arrhythmia by 53 to 76 percent.

[Saint John]

To add to what Mike Marrs said:

Best Foods That Contain Magnesium

Magnesium is an important mineral responsible for building and strengthening bones and teeth, relaxing muscles, transmitting nerve signals, contributing to the integrity of the immune system, producing enzymes responsible for energy metabolism, and regulating blood pressure. Magnesium is found in a wide variety of plant foods as well as certain types of fish. The Recommended Daily Value (DV) of magnesium for adult men is 420 mg; for adult women it is 320 mg. Foods that provide more than 20 percent of the DV of a nutrient are considered excellent sources of that nutrient.

Seeds and Nuts
The very best food source of magnesium is pumpkin seeds. A 1/4-cup serving provides 185 mg, or 46 percent of the DV. Sesame and sunflower seeds are also magnesium-rich. A 1/4-cup serving of either provides approximately 126 mg (about 30 percent of the DV). Nuts and seeds often are rich in the same nutrients, especially minerals. In the case of magnesium, this is true: a 1/4-cup of raw almonds or cashews provides a little less than 100 mg of magnesium, or 25 percent and 22 percent of the DV, respectively.

Beans and Legumes
Black and soybeans are the richest sources of magnesium in the legume family. Each provides over 30 percent of the DV for magnesium, while navy, pinto, kidney and lima beans are next in line, offering 20 to 25 percent of the DV. All percentages are based on a 1-cup serving, cooked.

Vegetables and Whole Grains
Spinach and Swiss chard (both dark green leafy vegetables) are excellent sources of this mineral. A 1-cup serving of either of these nutrient-rich veggies provides approximately 50 calories and about 150 mg of magnesium, nearly 40 percent of the DV. Quinoa, millet, buckwheat and brown rice are the whole grains that provide the most magnesium per serving (1/2-cup for uncooked quinoa and a 1-cup, cooked, for millet, buckwheat, and brown rice). Each of these nutritious grains provides approximately 25 percent of the DV for magnesium.

Fish
Certain types of fish are excellent sources of magnesium, particularly Chinook salmon and white halibut. One serving of Chinook salmon (4 oz, cooked) provides a whopping 138 mg of magnesium (nearly 35 percent of the DV) while a serving of halibut (4-oz, cooked) provides 120 mg (just over 30 percent of the DV).