A 16-year-old high school athlete scored the winning shot in his team's basketball game and then died moments later. INSIDE EDITION has the details of this shocking story.
It was a moment of sheer joy as a 16-year-old basketball star scored the winning basket in overtime, capping off a perfect undefeated season for his team.
For his heroics, Wes Leonard was carried like a hero by his happy teammates from Fenville High School in Michigan. But in the midst of the celebration came sudden shock and sorrow.
Moments after the big victory, Leonard collapsed on the court as horrified fans looked on. The star athlete went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to a hospital, where he died. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
Wes Leonard wasn't just a basketball star. He was also the quarterback on the football team, running and throwing with the best of them.
Leonard had been suffering with the flu last week. Everyone who knew him is in a state of shock, wondering how a 16-year-old athlete in superb condition could die so suddenly?
Dr. Marc Siegel tells INSIDE EDITION, "The flu is actually known to pre-dispose you to something like this. It runs you down. It makes you weaker and if you had an underlying heart disease, it would be more likely to come out. This is a wake up call for high school athletes and all athletes to be checked by a physician before they engage in their events."
A memorial Facebook page for Wes Leonard has been set up.
But the most touching post of all was the one Wes Leonard made on his Facebook page the night before the big game—heartbreaking in its optimism and eagerness:
"Got a good long shower. Ready for bed and game tomorrow!!!!"
