Michigan Teen Dies After Freak Accident During Baseball Game

I saw this story earlier this week but really didn't write about it because it truly broke my heart and finding the right words can be a bit difficult. The only reason I decided to was because I wanted to bring more attention to the family's GoFundMe page.

This past Sunday morning a teenage baseball player from Bath, Michigan died nearly two weeks after he was knocked unconscious during a collision at second base.

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Here's what happened

Cooper Gardner, a junior at Bath High School was playing baseball when he tried to tag a runner at second base. The two ended up colliding and Cooper was knocked unconscious for about 40 minutes. He was rushed to the hospital where they found out that he had suffered a traumatic brain injury along with heart and lung complications.

According to the GoFunMe page, he had numerous scans and tests repeatedly to ensure there was no further damage to his brain. He was in the PICU for 6 days and eventually moved into a regular room on April 28th.

He took a turn for the worse

At some point he was sent home and the family was told he would need physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to help the progression of his recovery. Unfortunately, it never got that far because on Sunday, May 3rd, he unexpectedly passed away at his home.

This is a parent's worse nightmare and I can't even begin to understand the pain they're going through right now.

The GoFundMe page was set up to help with medical expenses and Cooper's funeral costs.