PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 16-year-old football player who died at a scrimmage over the summer showed evidence of a heart problem that’s often found after the deaths of young athletes, the Chester County Coroner’s Office said on Monday.
Ivan Hicks Jr., a junior at West Catholic Preparatory High School, collapsed while taking a water break during a 7-on-7 scrimmage at Coatesville High in July. He was listed as 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 300 pounds.
Chester County Coroner Christina VandePol said Hicks died of an enlarged heart and thickening of the heart muscle.
“In particular, the wall that separates the right and left sides of the heart was very thickened and showed some scarring, and we think that that is really the cause of his death,” she explained.
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Hicks had a previous diagnosis of an enlarged heart, according to VandePol.
She said there was no evidence of dehydration, but heat and obesity may have been contributing factors to his death.
Hicks also tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, but it did not appear to be a contributing factor to his death, VandePol said. Hicks had actually received his second dose of the Pfizer vaccine about a week prior to his death.
VandePol said she did not find any evidence of respiratory disease. And, she said, examinations of the heart by her office and an international cardiac pathology center did not find myocarditis or other inflammations of the heart.
“You may have heard that some people have had a case of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart, after vaccination, especially young people,” she added. “That finding was not present in Ivan.”
Several people jumped into action to try to save Hicks after he collapsed. VandePol praises their efforts, but she said it appears there was nothing that could have been done to save him.