This young man was well liked and respected by his peers and elders alike. My prayers go out to the family and friends of Kameron. May he rest in peace.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/1032171.html
Former Merced High football star Kameron Huddleston dies at 19
By JAMES BURNS
[email protected]
FRESNO -- Kameron Huddleston, the 19-year-old former Merced High football star, died Monday in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno.
The end came peacefully, his mother Margie Huddleston said.
Kameron's blood pressure began to drop late Sunday night and continued to fall throughout the early morning hours Monday.
He was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m. -- less than two weeks after his 19th birthday.
"My baby passed away today," Margie said. "God saw fit to spare me, (his father) Randy and (younger sister) Britney the toughest decision of our lives."
That heart-wrenching call would have been whether to keep him on a life-support system.
Kameron had been in a coma for nearly four weeks after experiencing complications following a routine surgery to fix two ligaments in his right knee on Aug. 7.
The family said Kameron suffered flash pulmonary edema while in the recovery room -- meaning his lungs began to fill with fluid -- and had to have a tube inserted into his lungs to assist breathing and drainage.
Kameron was sedated to protect the breathing devices and his surgically-repaired right knee. He slipped into a coma and never came out.
At some point, oxygen was cut off from his brain, and CPR had to be administered, his father Randy said.
The family hasn't asked the administration at St. Agnes Medical Center for an operational report, detailing the events of that night.
"Right now, we're not there," Margie said. "Of course, we want to know what happened. But some things aren't (meant) to be revealed.
"We have to be at peace with where we're at. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. I'm just holding on ... my baby is going home."
Kameron was a standout defensive end who helped Merced win back-to-back Central California Conference titles in 2006 and '07.
He was a bear of a player at 6-feet, 2-inches tall and 240 pounds, but those who know him best say he was more Teddy than grizzly.
He was the consummate team player, Merced High football coach Rob Scheidt said, with a smile that could melt your heart.
"Everybody remembers the smile, but the people closest to him know that he never wanted to disappoint anyone. He never wanted to disappoint me in anything that he did," Scheidt said. "When he thought he was disappointing me, he gave me a certain look. I'm sure his mom knows the look.
"I want to remember the smile, but I also want to remember that. He cared so much about me that he didn't want to disappoint me in anything."
After graduation, Kameron accepted a scholarship offer to Northern Arizona University, but returned to play his freshman season at Merced College.
He had 1½ sacks and 12½ tackles in eight games, and was on track for a breakout sophomore season when he tore the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments while training in late July.
The news of his death rocked the football community Monday.
Both Merced College and Merced High cut short planned activities to address the loss of a teammate and friend.
"This sits wrong with me -- someone that young and vibrant taken away," said first-year Blue Devils coach Mark Kaanapu, whose team will honor Kameron by wearing No. 97 stickers on the backs of their helmets.
"I hope there's a bigger plan and a bigger picture that will explain why he's not with us anymore."
Scheidt said his team has also dedicated this season to Kameron.
Instead of retiring his No. 46 jersey -- the one he wore in high school -- each year Merced will bestow the jersey to the player who best exemplifies Kameron's character on and off the field.
This season, close friend Marques Barron, a senior defensive end and tight end, will wear No. 46.
"We've talked about retiring his jersey, and I didn't like the idea, because when you retire a jersey it goes on a shelf somewhere," Scheidt said.
"We're going to choose somebody to wear No. 46 each year -- somebody who represents who he is and what he played for."
Kameron had been in stable but critical condition for 23 days when his blood pressure started to plummet around midnight on Sunday.
The Huddleston family was notified of his worsening condition twice during the early morning hours on Monday.
At around 5 a.m., a nurse at St. Agnes informed Margie "that we needed to be there," she said. "They did all they could to make him comfortable. I'm grateful it went as fast as it did."
A memorial service hasn't been planned.
"God loved him best -- he was ready for him," Margie said. "He didn't suffer long.
"We have no regrets because we lived each day to the fullest, and we showed each other how much we loved one another."
First Baptist Church has set up an account at Westamerica Bank to help the family. For more information, please contact First Baptist Church at (209) 383-7729.
http://www.mercedsunstar.com/167/story/1032171.html
Former Merced High football star Kameron Huddleston dies at 19
By JAMES BURNS
[email protected]
FRESNO -- Kameron Huddleston, the 19-year-old former Merced High football star, died Monday in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Agnes Medical Center in Fresno.
The end came peacefully, his mother Margie Huddleston said.
Kameron's blood pressure began to drop late Sunday night and continued to fall throughout the early morning hours Monday.
He was pronounced dead at 11:20 a.m. -- less than two weeks after his 19th birthday.
"My baby passed away today," Margie said. "God saw fit to spare me, (his father) Randy and (younger sister) Britney the toughest decision of our lives."
That heart-wrenching call would have been whether to keep him on a life-support system.
Kameron had been in a coma for nearly four weeks after experiencing complications following a routine surgery to fix two ligaments in his right knee on Aug. 7.
The family said Kameron suffered flash pulmonary edema while in the recovery room -- meaning his lungs began to fill with fluid -- and had to have a tube inserted into his lungs to assist breathing and drainage.
Kameron was sedated to protect the breathing devices and his surgically-repaired right knee. He slipped into a coma and never came out.
At some point, oxygen was cut off from his brain, and CPR had to be administered, his father Randy said.
The family hasn't asked the administration at St. Agnes Medical Center for an operational report, detailing the events of that night.
"Right now, we're not there," Margie said. "Of course, we want to know what happened. But some things aren't (meant) to be revealed.
"We have to be at peace with where we're at. We don't know what tomorrow will bring. I'm just holding on ... my baby is going home."
Kameron was a standout defensive end who helped Merced win back-to-back Central California Conference titles in 2006 and '07.
He was a bear of a player at 6-feet, 2-inches tall and 240 pounds, but those who know him best say he was more Teddy than grizzly.
He was the consummate team player, Merced High football coach Rob Scheidt said, with a smile that could melt your heart.
"Everybody remembers the smile, but the people closest to him know that he never wanted to disappoint anyone. He never wanted to disappoint me in anything that he did," Scheidt said. "When he thought he was disappointing me, he gave me a certain look. I'm sure his mom knows the look.
"I want to remember the smile, but I also want to remember that. He cared so much about me that he didn't want to disappoint me in anything."
After graduation, Kameron accepted a scholarship offer to Northern Arizona University, but returned to play his freshman season at Merced College.
He had 1½ sacks and 12½ tackles in eight games, and was on track for a breakout sophomore season when he tore the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments while training in late July.
The news of his death rocked the football community Monday.
Both Merced College and Merced High cut short planned activities to address the loss of a teammate and friend.
"This sits wrong with me -- someone that young and vibrant taken away," said first-year Blue Devils coach Mark Kaanapu, whose team will honor Kameron by wearing No. 97 stickers on the backs of their helmets.
"I hope there's a bigger plan and a bigger picture that will explain why he's not with us anymore."
Scheidt said his team has also dedicated this season to Kameron.
Instead of retiring his No. 46 jersey -- the one he wore in high school -- each year Merced will bestow the jersey to the player who best exemplifies Kameron's character on and off the field.
This season, close friend Marques Barron, a senior defensive end and tight end, will wear No. 46.
"We've talked about retiring his jersey, and I didn't like the idea, because when you retire a jersey it goes on a shelf somewhere," Scheidt said.
"We're going to choose somebody to wear No. 46 each year -- somebody who represents who he is and what he played for."
Kameron had been in stable but critical condition for 23 days when his blood pressure started to plummet around midnight on Sunday.
The Huddleston family was notified of his worsening condition twice during the early morning hours on Monday.
At around 5 a.m., a nurse at St. Agnes informed Margie "that we needed to be there," she said. "They did all they could to make him comfortable. I'm grateful it went as fast as it did."
A memorial service hasn't been planned.
"God loved him best -- he was ready for him," Margie said. "He didn't suffer long.
"We have no regrets because we lived each day to the fullest, and we showed each other how much we loved one another."
First Baptist Church has set up an account at Westamerica Bank to help the family. For more information, please contact First Baptist Church at (209) 383-7729.
