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Downey Teen Dies After Collapsing During Football Game
A Downey football player has died two days after collapsing during a game at Lynwood High, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center officials announced today.
Dodi Soza, 16, was a junior running back at Downey High School. He had been listed in critical condition since collapsing. He was not breathing when Los Angeles County Firefighters reached him, KTLA reports.
After first being taken to nearby St. Francis Medical Center, Soza was transferred to Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach where he died, according to ABC 7. He had been transferred there to be treated by brain injury specialists, his friends told CNS.
His friends and family had been praying for his recovery. On Twitter, #PrayForDodi was trending Thursday night, ABC reported.
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Downey High School students wore white on Friday to show their support for Soza and several of his friends and teammates went to the hospital to visit with his family, ABC reports.
"He's very well known around the school. He's a great running back. He's a good friend," teammate Mario Galvan told ABC.
The mayor of the city of Downey also confirmed Soza’s passing: "Our community mourns the passing of one of own today... Our broken hearts are with his family. God bless him,” Downey Mayor Mario A. Guerra tweeted Saturday.
It's unclear if playing football led to Soza's death. An autopsy will be conducted to determine how he died. Hospital spokeswoman Rochele Steele told CNS that federal privacy laws prohibit the release of the time or cause of death.
Rip dodi soza 10:48am was confirmed he fought all he could , hes in a better place now you will forever be missed pic.twitter.com/c85Xu2x6qy
— ً (@MartinPoncexD) October 12, 2013
#PrayforDodi Update: DHS football team signs game ball for Dodi Soza; player collapsed at game. [Photo@diamonddylann] pic.twitter.com/fa2eSAeChN
— Mekahlo Medina (@MekahloNBCLA) October 11, 2013
Warren High School, Downey HS's rival shows support for hospitalized DHS juinior, #DodiSoza. pic.twitter.com/oLf4xYGLB7
— Beatriz La Bruja 🎃 (@BeatrizVNews) October 11, 2013
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Warren shows their support for our football player @Soza316 #prayfordodi 💙💛❤️ pic.twitter.com/KLebDDO21U
— The Downey Legend (@TheDowneyLegend) October 11, 2013
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