Tragedy strikes varsity football game as mom, 44, left brain dead after watching player son break leg
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: A Bay Area mother is not expected to survive after she suffered two consecutive strokes and is now left brain dead after witnessing her son suffer a horrific injury during a high school football game. Lucinda Daniels, 44, from San Francisco, faced the unfortunate incident just minutes after her son was taken out of the field during his varsity game in Mountain View, Santa Clara County on Friday, August 25.
Dillon Daniels, unfortunately sustained a fractured leg and dislocated foot mid-match while playing for Mountain View High School. Both his parents supported him from the sidelines as their home match against The King's Academy in Sunnyvale began.
Lucinda was one of the loudest cheerleaders
The 'big-hearted' mother was recognized as one of the loudest cheerleaders from the parents' stand. "She was at every game with her pompoms," Mountain View coach Tim Lugo told the local paper the Mercury News on Monday night. "You don't hear many parents from the stands, but you would always hear her."
However, he claimed that the game took a 'surreal' turn when Dillion suffered the terrible injury just before halftime. Paramedics immediately treated the young player while his parents responded by rushing to the field.
What happened to Dillion's father?
The situation, then took a drastic turn after his father, Dale, who knelt beside his son, suddenly lost consciousness, prompting the officials to call for medical assistance. TKA executive athletic director Joe Maemone said that Lucinda was 'fine' at that point.
"She was on the phone", he said. "It looked like she was talking to family members, letting them know what was going on. Then Dad gets up. He was fine, coherent." But, as paramedics continued treating Dillon, his mother fainted too.
Dillion's mother was rushed to hospital
For around three minutes, Dillon's mother lay on the ground before paramedics placed her on a stretcher and rushed her to hospital, according to the paper. "We're standing around, thinking, 'Lord, what is happening here?' It was so surreal", Maemone said. "You almost think this was just a bad dream that you're going to wake up from."
It was later reported that Lucinda had suffered an aneurysm, which may have burst, triggering a stroke. Things got even worse when she suffered a second aneurysm again a little over 24 hours later that left her with no brain activity, according to local reports. The mother of four is described as a selfless individual who was an organ donor.
Lucinda's friends pay heartwarming tribute
'Anyone who knows Lucinda, knows that she has one of the biggest hearts you've ever seen and in keeping with that spirit, she is an organ donor", Lucinda's friends said on the fundraising page. "Whilst we are losing Lucinda, we hope you find some solace in knowing that her passing will give the gift of life to numerous others and allow her love to continue to spread through the world."
"The Daniels family has a deep connection with the Mountain View community with all four children attending Landels, Graham, and MVHS", they added. "The funds raised will be used to help the family cover all medical expenses, funeral costs, and living expenses while they work to rebuild their lives. Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers."