Michigan high school athlete dies after collapsing at tryout

Xavier Carter's heart stopped during basketball tryouts. (Fox 2 Detroit)

A 15-year-old Lincoln Park student who collapsed Monday night during spring basketball tryouts has died. He was airlifted to the hospital and died Tuesday morning.

Xavier Carter loved basketball and was trying out for the spring team when he suddenly collapsed as his heart stopped. FOX 2 spoke with Xavier's aunt and she says he had been feeling run down this past month, but had no known heart problems.

"I prayed for him. I prayed so hard; I had everyone else pray for him," said his friend Jaelon Coleman. "My friend texted me and said Xavier didn't make it."

Xavier died Tuesday morning at the University of Michigan Hospital where he had been airlifted after he collapsed. His friends are shocked and hurting.

"Whether it was us playing football together, basketball or doing track together we could always get down and could talk about anything that happened," said Michael Johnson.

The high school sophomore was said to always be entertaining.

"If someone is sitting in the room, you're bored, he would be the person who turned on some music and started dancing," said Coleman.

But Xavier also had a serious side.

"That was the only person at the end of the day I considered that I could call at any time and you would find a way to come get me," Johnson said. "(He) could find something that would help me no matter what."

"If I had any problems with anything, he was there," Coleman said. "He was the person I went to. I vented to him about everything. He knows me more than anybody knows me. Just to see that go away, I'm going to miss him."

A GoFundMe account set up by the family asks for donations to help cover hospital and funeral expenses. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here.

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