A teenage girl has become the latest young person to suddenly collapse and die in the middle of a sporting event. It’s the latest disturbing headline involving sudden death among young people, often involving heart incidents among athletes in their prime.

Ashari Hughes, only 16 years old, was in the middle of playing flag football, a game she loved, when she started experiencing chest problems, a family member told KVVU-TV. She went to the sidelines to rest but then collapsed.

Ashari was hospitalized and died later that night. The cause and manner of death have still not been determined.  “Vibrant, intelligent, beautiful, resilient, and determined are just a few of the words to describe one phenomenal human being who has inspired and impacted so many lives in the 16 years she shared with us,” her father, Enttroda Hughes, wrote in a message to the Review-Journal Saturday.

A family member told KVVU-TV that the young girl had been having heart problems and was seeing a cardiologist, but she was previously cleared by a doctor to play the sport.  “We let her continue to play with the stipulations that we have to trust her to make the best decision when she’s feeling her chest getting tight,” Hughes said.

Meanwhile, an Old Dominion University men’s basketball player collapsed during the middle of a game against Georgia Southern on Saturday.  In a video, Sophomore Imo Essien can be seen clutching his chest before collapsing on the court.

He did not pass out but remained conscious as medical personnel attended to him.  He later managed to walk off the court with some assistance.  After the game, Old Dominion University Men’s basketball released a statement concerning the incident. (READ MORE)