A Denver-area lacrosse player died Tuesday night after collapsing during a game.
Kristin Callbeck, a 15-year-old freshman at Smoky Hill (Aurora, Colo.), was taken to a nearby hospital after collapsing. She died a short time later.
Smoky Hill principal Chuck Puga confirmed that a student had passed away in an email to parents. Arapahoe County officials are looking into the death, saying the investigation might take eight to 10 weeks.
As Denver’s KDVR tells it, athletes across the Denver metro area have shown their support for Smoky Hill in the days since the tragedy. A crisis team was at the school to help the students through the difficult time.
On Twitter, local schools showed support for the Smoky Hill community by using the hashtag #OneHerd.
Thoughts and prayers go out to @shhsglax during this difficult time
#OneHerd pic.twitter.com/WhHPE7nC3E
— Grandview Girls Lax (@Grandview_WLAX) May 4, 2017
Additionally, the Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and Ralston Valley (Arvada, Colo.) girls lacrosse teams created ribbons to show their support for Callbeck and the Buffaloes.
Thursday night, the Smoky Hill girls varsity team played Denver’s John F. Kennedy, and Kennedy players showed up with a large banner that had been signed by students to show their support.
“It hits home,” Kennedy assistant coach Toni Carral told KDVR. “Nobody wants for that to happen. She was a young girl. She had a life ahead of her and the kids knew that. And they knew that Smoky needed them.”
A memorial service for Callbeck will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.