Eureka football player dies; fund established and games cancelled

A freshman at Eureka High School died Tuesday night (Sept. 15), a day after he collapsed at an after-school football practice at the school.Rockwood School District officials identified the student as 14-year-old Delonte Campbell.

As students at Eureka High went through regular rounds of texting each other before arriving at school on the morning of Sept. 16, the messages contained somber reactions to losing one of their own classmates. Officials said that Campbell died at approximately 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday night after being taken to St. Anthony’s Medical Center and then to St. Louis Children’s Hospital on Monday afternoon.

Eureka Principal Jim Wipke said additional counselors are on-hand at the school to talk to grieving students.

"Our hearts go out to Delonte's family. We extend our deepest condolences to them in this time of loss," Wipke said in an e-mail notification to parents.

School officials said the family is waiting for details about what medical condition caused the player's death.

A fund has been established to assist the family with burial arrangements. Donations can be sent to First Community National Bank, Delonte Campbell Memorial Fund, 450 Meramec Blvd., P.O. Box 359, Eureka, MO 63025.

Financial donations are being sought at both Eureka High School and LaSalle Springs Middle School in Wildwood. Delonte was a student at LaSalle last year and his sister, Dionshay, is an eighth grader there now. LaSalle counselors also are assisting students at the middle school.

Some Eureka freshmen asked if the U.S. flag at the school could be dropped to half-staff in honor of Delonte. 

In addition, the freshman football game scheduled for 4:30 p.m. today (Sept. 17) against Cape Girardeau Central as well as the varsity football game scheduled for 7 p.m. today (Sept. 17) at Parkway North High School have been cancelled.

Visitation has been set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Mon., Sept. 21 with the funeral service immediately following at the Ronald L. Jones Funeral Chapel (2161 East Fair Ave. in St. Louis; call 314-726-6690).