In a tragic turn of events that has left a community in mourning, a 14-year-old teenage boy, Knox MacEwen, lost his life following a cardiac arrest during a 5K run at Everglades High School in Miramar, Florida.
The tragic incident occurred Saturday morning around 9 a.m., when Miramar Police were alerted to a medical emergency at the school, according to NBC6-Miami. They found MacEwen experiencing a severe cardiac arrest after the run.
Despite rapid intervention by Miramar Fire Rescue and immediate transportation to Memorial Miramar hospital, the young man was later declared deceased by the hospital staff.
Knox was a student at Western High School in Davie and took part in the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), a national program known for its commitment to nurturing leadership and good citizenship among young people.
In response to this devastating loss, Western High’s Principal, Jimmy Arrojo, reached out with a message full of empathy for Knox’s family and friends.
“I am saddened to share tragic news impacting our Wildcat community. One of our JROTC students passed away this morning after being transported to the hospital. I want to offer my deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, teachers, and classmates as they mourn this great loss,” Arrojo said.
“I ask our Wildcat community to rally around the family in prayer and support during this time of deep sorrow. Please know that grief counselors will be available on campus this week to meet with anyone needing assistance or support,” he continued.
MacEwen also played an active role in his church community at Crossway Church in Cooper City, suggesting his deep engagement with faith-based activities.
“I think when you have a tragedy like this, and someone as loved as Knox, there’s ripple effects all the way through our church community, so we have students that were friends with him, family members that are friends with his family, so it’s been a really difficult time,” Pastor Jon Elswick said.
“Knox’s dad said to me a couple of days ago, that Knox was the best of us, and I love that phrase because if you knew Knox, that’s who he was, right, this is a teenager who when you think about him, you think of a loving kid, a caring kid, a funny kid,” he continued.
A fundraising initiative via GoFundMe is underway to provide financial assistance to MacEwen’s family.
According to the GoFundMe page, the family is just recovering from serious health issues. “This family has been through the unimaginable, as this has happened as Knox’s mom, Julie, is still physically and financially recovering from a hard fought battle with cancer this last year,” the page organizer said.
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