A high school football player from Newfield High School in New York is currently in critical condition after collapsing on the field during a practice session.
According to a report from the New York Post, 17-year-old Robert Bush was participating in conditioning drills with his teammates when he suddenly collapsed and lost consciousness.
His brother, Steve Bush, informed Newsday that Robert experienced a “cardiac event” and is currently in a coma.
The coaching staff immediately administered CPR and used a defibrillator in an attempt to revive Robert. Emergency medical teams swiftly transported him to Stony Brook University Hospital for further medical attention.
After enduring more than 45 minutes without blood or oxygen supply to his brain, Robert’s condition worsened significantly. In a heart-wrenching update, Steve shared on Thursday that his brother no longer has any brain function, and their family is now making preparations to bid him farewell.
A GoFundMe page has been organized to help his family.
From the New York Post:
A high school football player from Long Island is on life support after reportedly collapsing during conditioning drills at Newfield High School earlier this week.
Robert Bush, 17, of Selden, had only been on the field for about four minutes before he bent over, then passed out due to a “cardiac event” at about 5 p.m. on Monday, his older brother, Steve Bush, told Newsday.
Despite the efforts of his coaches — who performed CPR and shocked him with a defibrillator — and the emergency medical teams who rushed him to Stony Brook University Hospital, Bush went without blood or oxygen to his brain for at least 45 minutes.
“There’s no more brain function,” his brother said Thursday, adding that the teen is on life support.
“We are dealing with the end right now.”
…
Bush’s parents, Robert and Patricia, adopted him when he was a baby and brought them into their sprawling family.
The couple had fostered more than 300 children, and Bush has 10 siblings whose ages range from 16 to 56 years old, according to his brother.
Patricia Bush died of cancer in 2017, and his father is dealing with severe medical issues that have left the family to fend for themselves.
Chris Bush, another brother, told Newsday that he more or less raised Robert and taught him to play football.
“He was always trying to get better and better because he was never a tall guy,” Chris said.
“But he’s got the motivation of 50 guys. He’s always trying to make himself better.”
Meanwhile, Steve Bush is left lamenting the life his brother will likely never have.
“He was just like all his older siblings,” he said.
“He wanted to get married. He wanted to have kids like all of us. So, as you can tell, knowing where he was in his life and how far he’s taken it just in the last two years, it’s killing us.”
