Riverview family grieving loss of teen who died on football field caution about heat-related illness
RIVERVIEW, Fla. - A Riverview mother, whose son passed away following summer football drills in 2019, had a message of caution as the Bay Area endures a brutal heat wave.
Phyllis Walters and her daughter, Phyllisity Walters, were wearing shirts covered in photos of Hezekiah Walters on Tuesday, as they talked about his death.
"We miss him so much," said Phyllis Walters. "It hurts to lose your son, a family member. I mean, that was my son."
"The loss of a loved one feel like somebody is always missing. You miss their presence," added Phyllisity Walters. "You try to push through and pray about it and you try to find how to live without that person, but still keep their presence ever so present in your life."
Hezekiah Walters died after collapsing during football practice on a hot day.
Hezekiah Walters was 14 years old when he collapsed on the Middleton High School football field during practice in 2019. His temperature 102 degrees when he passed away.
Phyllis Walters can't believe it's been four years, but she also remembers this about that day: "It was scorching hot," she said, "scorching hot."
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She recalled the weather that day feeling a lot like it has recently in the Bay Area, where heat indexes have reached well above 110 degrees.
File: football players at practice.
Phyllis Walters said parents need to talk with student athletes about safety in this type of weather.
"For preventative methods, I think that's hugely important to have those conversations with your children. If they feel anything, they [need to] seek the nearest adult," she said. "You can't beat it. I'm a witness. And you want to me make sure that your loved ones make it through it and still enjoy the fun of the activity."
RELATED: Parents work to keep other student-athletes safe after son's death on the field
Dr. Amber Stephens, a family practice physician with Optum Health Main Street in Dunedin, agreed that adults need to keep a close eye on kids during outdoor activities during this heat wave.
File: Student athlete drinking water.
She added the athletes need to be honest too.
"They're not going to tell somebody when, 'Hey, I'm having a headache. Hey, you know, my vision's a little fuzzy. I don't feel so good. I'm lightheaded. I'm a little nauseous,'" Dr. Stephen said, pointing out several symptoms of a heat-related illness while adding it's important to take those warning signs seriously. "You can get cooled, you can get hydrated and feel better quickly before you move from that mild heat-related illness into kind of that heat stroke."
Dr. Stephens said the time it takes for a heat-related illness to turn into heat stroke can range from a few hours to a few days, depending on the person.