Chance Gainer, high school football player from Florida, dies after collapsing during game

A high school athlete in Florida died after collapsing on the field during a football game Friday night.

Gulf District Schools Superintendent Jim Norton confirmed that the deceased player was 18-year-old Chance Gainer, a wide receiver and defensive back at Port St. Joe High School.

His death occurred during a game on Friday, September 6, at Liberty County High School.

After his collapse, Gainer was treated on the field, but he reportedly had no pulse when paramedics arrived, according to WJHG, an NBC affiliate in Panama City, Florida.

Norton told the outlet that paramedics were able to take Gainer's pulse before he was placed in an ambulance. He was taken to a Blountstown hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

“The tragic loss of Chance Gainer, a 12th grader at Port St. Joe High School, has left our community in deep sadness,” Norton said in a statement. “He was a remarkable athlete, a beloved teammate and an overall exceptional young man who loved Jesus. Chance was quiet, but exuded an enchanting warmth and genuineness that drew people to him.”

Norton spoke to WJHG about Gainer's athletic ability as well as his “world-class personality,” saying that his GPA is above 4.0 and that he recently toured Vanderbilt University.

His statement also included a message from Sissy Godwin, principal of Port St. Joe High School, who said, “You may not have heard Chance in the crowd, but you could see his smile from across the room.”

After Gainer's death, staff, friends and community members gathered at the high school. Norton said the moment was “perhaps the most heartbreaking situation you could imagine for a family and community,” but it was “an indescribably heartwarming experience” to see the community embrace Gainer's family, teammates and coaches during a difficult time.

“Please pray for Chance's parents – JJ and Gal Gainer, his siblings and extended family, friends, teammates and coaches,” Norton concluded his statement. “We want the Gainer family to feel they are not alone in this heartbreaking moment.”

Gainer is one of several high school football deaths. At least six teenage football players died in August, and their families are calling for better safety measures.

Last month, 13-year-old Cohen Craddock died from a head injury sustained during practice after playing organized football for just one year, his father, Ryan Craddock, told NBC's Sam Brock.

That same month, 14-year-old Semaj Wilkins died after collapsing on the field during practice in 32-degree heat and suffering a medical emergency. His mother told TODAY that her son had no health issues that would have led to such a medical emergency.

The National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research reported that there were 16 football deaths in 2023. Three of the deaths were due to traumatic injuries, while ten were due to exertion or medical problems such as aneurysms, asthma, heat stroke or sudden cardiac arrest.

Expert recommendations for death prevention start with proper education.

Neuroscientist Dr. Chris Nowinski told TODAY, “Every time you hear about a death in practice, it could have been prevented if we could have trained coaches to teach kids how to play football without them getting hit in the head so much.”

For other medical emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest, schools should have an action plan that is reviewed each year to ensure players receive the necessary care as quickly as possible, experts say.