A 15-year-old high school athlete has tragically died suddenly while out jogging.
Tennessee teenager Tristen Franklin collapsed and died while jogging in his neighborhood on his normal route.
The Sycamore High School student was a competitive cross-country runner.
Locals said he was regularly seen jogging in the neighborhood as part of his training.
Neighbor Troy Simpkins said he would usually see Tristen on the teen’s afternoon runs and they would say hello to one another.
On Tuesday, he said he saw him on his run and didn’t think anything of it until another neighbor raised the alarm about the teen collapsing.
The group quickly called 911, but Tristen died.
“My heart just goes out to them. I mean, it is so sad,” Simpkins said.
“He was so young and had his whole life ahead of him.
“Tell the people in your life how much you love them.”
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The Cheatham County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the young boy had died.
However, no cause of death has been made public.
The Cheatham County School District said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of the high school student’s death.
In a statement, a school district spokesperson shared:
“Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the student’s family and friends during this difficult time.
“The impact of such a loss is immeasurable.”
Counseling support would also be provided at Sycamore High to assist those affected.
The coroner is continuing an examination to determine the cause of the death, the sheriff’s office said.
Other young athletes have tragically died suddenly on the field this summer.
Last month, 15-year-old Ovet Gomez Regalado, a high school football player from Missouri, tragically died after suffering a “medical emergency” following a practice.
The student was a sophomore at Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in Kansas City.
He was found in critical condition when Johnson County Med-Act crews responded to the school on August 14 at 5:25 p.m.
Emergency crews were responding to reports of a “medical emergency.”
The 15-year-old had been participating in off-season football conditioning for the school team, which he has played on since his freshman year.
According to athletic statistics posted online, the teen played both offensive and defensive roles, playing nose guard, defensive tackle, center, and guard at different times.
SMNW Principal Lisa Gruman remembered Regalado as a “warm and wonderful student who touched the hearts of many in our community.”
Regalado’s cause of death has not been made public, however.
Officials have declined to provide additional details or the cause of his death.
Barbara Mitchell, a spokeswoman with the county health department, said an investigation is ongoing.
The medical examiner’s office has completed an autopsy, she said, but a final report is not done.
“For any serious incident, our standard protocol would involve following up to understand what happened,” Smith said of the school district’s investigation.
“It will involve looking at everything that led up to the incident, and how the incident was handled, to see if there is anything that we can learn, in order to prevent future incidents.”
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