BATH, MICH. (WWJ) A high school baseball player in central Michigan has passed away about two weeks after colliding with another ball player during a game.
Cooper Gardner was a junior at Bath High School in Bath, which is about 10 miles northeast of Lansing.
On his GoFundMe, Gardner's family friend said he was playing second base during a game on April 21st when he attempted to tag the base runner on the opposing team—Portland St. Patrick. Instead, he crashed into him and suffered a traumatic brain injury, and heart and lung complications.
She describes it as "a freak accident."
The other player was not hurt.
Gardner spent about a week in the pediatric ICU at Sparrow Hospital, before being downgraded to a regular room and eventually discharged.
He died "unexpectedly" at his home on Sunday morning while recovering, the GoFund Me Page read.
In a statement to WLNS-TV News, Bath High Principal Matt Dodson wrote: "Cooper Gardner embodied every admirable characteristic one could ever hope to instill in a young man. He was kind, humble, intelligent, respectful, and honest. We love you Coop. Love and peace to the Gardner family."
Gardner's school community's love for him shined through in their efforts to sell #CoopStrong T-shirts to help pay for his medical expenses.
The money from his crowd fundraiser and the T-shirts will now go toward paying for his funeral. Donate HERE.
