New Jersey high school quarterback, 17, dies after saying he felt 'woozy' following a tackle on the field
- Warren Hills Regional High School quarterback Evan Murray died on Friday
- He felt 'woozy' after a tackle during a game and was taken to hospital
- The exact cause of the talented teen's death was not immediately known, though he reportedly may have suffered a heart attack
- Shocked community paid tribute to Murray on social media, with one teammate and friend saying he was 'a guy everyone wanted to be like'
A New Jersey high school football player has died of unknown causes after suffering an injury on the field that sent him to the hospital.
Warren Hills Regional High School quarterback Evan Murray died late Friday night after being tackled in a game earlier in the evening.
The 17-year-old felt 'woozy' after the hit but reportedly tried reassuring his teammates he would be fine as he was taken away by ambulance around halftime.
Medical authorities have not yet released exactly happened to cut short the life of the popular athlete, and the community that called him a 'hometown hero' is mourning the sudden loss.
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Evan Murray, a 17-year-old high school quarterback in New Jersey, died Friday night after leaving a game earlier in the evening and being sent to the hospital
Murray reportedly felt 'woozy' after he was hit in the game Friday night, but his coach told worried friends that he was going to be OK
'He tried giving a thumbs-up to the rest of the team, and all of us cheered,' Kaitlin Bell, 16, a junior varsity cheerleader at Warren Hills High School, told the New York Daily News.
'Our coach was telling us he was going to be alright,' she said through tears. 'We didn't expect anything would happen.'
School officials did not say how Murray was injured during the game, which the Warren Hills Blue Streaks lose 14-12.
Murray was hit in the backfield, but was able to get to the sideline of his own power, according to NJ.com.
He later collapsed on the sideline, sending the crowd quiet, before he eventually was taken away on a gurney.
The Daily News reported that he may have had a heart attack.
After his death the 17-year-old and three sport athelete was described as a 'hometown hero' by friends and teammates
A GoFundMe page for Murray's family had raised thousands of dollars in memory of the popular athlete as of Saturday afternoon
The unexplained death has left the surrounding community in shock, with tributes to the young man pouring in from those who knew him.
Murray was a three-sport athlete at Warren Hills and had been the football team's starting quarterback for three years as well as being in the National Honor Society.
One of Murray's friends, student Taylor Coughlin, told The Morning Call: 'Evan was an amazing athlete, friend, family member, student.
'He was the captain. He was the man.'
'He was an amazing student and he was never afraid to give out a hand to anyone. Just all around amazing student.'
'A guy everyone wanted to be like. A true hometown hero. You'll be missed. You'll always be the leader of this team,' teammate Mark Formichelli posted on Twitter.
'I lost the love of my life last night. I miss you Evan and I love you indefinitely,' Bailey Reyes posted on Twitter.
A GoFundMe page set up to benefit his family and had already raised almost $9,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
Tributes to the teen have poured in from those who knew him as well as those reading about the news, including New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
The star athlete had been quarterback for three years. UNC's National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research said that 77 high school football players have died of game-related injuries in the past 20 years
A GoFundMe page set up to benefit his family and had already raised almost $9,000 as of Saturday afternoon.
'Evan was a bright kid who excelled in academics and in sports. 'Varsity QB since his sophomore year, varsity baseball pitcher, and varsity basketball, Evan was always doing something to give back to his community,' the page said.
'Please help us while we help the Murray family in their time of need. Donating anything with help!'
Murray's school is making grief counselors available as students cope with the loss.
A statement from interim Superintendent Gary Bowen on Saturday called the school community 'deeply saddened'.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie posted on Twitter: 'On behalf of all the people of New Jersey, Mary Pat and I send our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the Murray family on the loss of Evan'
University of North Carolina's National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research, 77 high school football players have died nationwide as the result of injuries directly related to the game in the past two decades, according to MyCentralJersey.
The center reported five direct fatalities on the scholastic gridiron last season, during which about 1.1million high school players competed, according to National Federation of State High School Association data.
Direct fatalities are classified as deaths that occurred as the result of competition.
An impromptu memorial with flowers, candles and pictures of Murray was created by his friends
Warren Hill has made grief counselors available to those students dealing with the sudden loss of their friend
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