The interim president of William Jewell College has come to the defense of team staff and medical personnel after a football player collapsed during a game and died last week.
Interim president Drew Van Horn told ESPN that the team doctor and on-site medical workers immediately began trying to resuscitate MicahJo Barnett, 20, when he collapsed on the sideline after scoring a touchdown for the Cardinals against Fort Lewis College on Saturday, August 29, in Liberty, Missouri. Barnett later died at a hospital.
“The firemen were there who were EMT-trained, but then they did call for an ambulance that did come with additional EMTs,” Van Horn said.
Van Horn clarified that there was already an ambulance on-site to take him to the hospital, and an additional vehicle was only called as a precaution if the game had continued. The game was ultimately canceled.
He added that school officials are in the process of speaking with students to see whether there were any other factors the college did not know about that could have contributed to Barnett’s death. All student-athletes are required to undergo physicals, and Barnett did not have any known underlying medical conditions.
“Everybody’s still in shock,” Van Horn said. “[The conversations] are happening as students are coming to meet with the coaches or with administrators. … We’re not pressing anybody to say anything, but just say, is there anything you think we need to be aware of?”
“We are absolutely heartbroken over the tragic passing of MicahJo Barnett,” William Jewell’s vice president for athletics, Ryan Erlacher, said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family, friends, and all that love him. MicahJo is an exceptional young man who made a tremendous impact on the Jewell and Liberty communities and he will be greatly missed by all. Please keep his family in your prayers and we kindly ask for everyone to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
The Liberty Police Department added in a statement that it is working with the medical examiner’s office to review the circumstances around Barnett’s death.
“At this time, we are awaiting the medical examiner’s findings regarding the cause and manner of death,” the statement read. “A final determination may take several weeks, as toxicology and other laboratory testing can take time to complete.”
The Cardinals are scheduled to play again on Saturday, September 12, on the road against Kentucky Wesleyan College. Van Horn told ESPN that the team resumed football activities on Tuesday, September 1, and it plans to play the game as scheduled.
Barnett’s family will also hold a celebration of life that same day in Kansas City, Missouri. It would have been his 21st birthday.
