Photo Credit: Jesse McCabe/Texas MileSplit
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Fort Worth Chisholm Trail student-athlete Angel Hernandez died on Friday, October 13, after crossing the finish line at the UIL District 3-6A Championships.
Just a sophomore, Hernandez was the team's fifth runner. Chisholm Trail head coach Joe Gifford said Hernandez's kick in the late stages of the race to pass the number five runner from Hurst Bell and a runner from Fort Worth Boswell forced a tie with Bell for the third and final regional qualifying team position.
In the Texas UIL state cross county series, the district level is the first level of qualifying through to the state championships. Each team in every district statewide must place in the top three spots to advance, or their season is over.
Without Hernandez's effort and lifetime best run that day, Gifford said, the team's season would have ended.
How To Donate:
A GoFundMe has been set up for the family of Angel Hernandez to help cover funeral costs and other medical aid. To donate, go here.
Gifford told MileSplit, "after crossing the finish line, Angel collapsed. It's what you'd expect from a kid at the district championships after running a PR."
Hernandez was assisted over to the water station by the team's sixth runner, who was a tie-breaker, and it was there where he fell back down.
That is when the district's athletic trainers saw the situation and provided aid. After seeming to get things in control, they placed Hernandez in a gator to transport him toward his mother.
"Then one of the trainers noticed his pulse began to weaken and then he had no pulse," Gifford said.
Photo Credit: Chisholm Trail Athletics High School Athletics
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Officials then administered CPR; 911 was also called.
"When the firemen arrived, Angel was not breathing and they did all they could do to resuscitate him and they transported him to the hospital," Gifford said.
The Chisholm Trail team huddled and said prayers as Hernandez was transported.
When the team arrived back to school, officials put the team in a room and Gifford in another where they told him Hernandez did not survive.
Gifford, who was in his third year as a head coach and his first year at Chisholm Trail, then had to break the news to his team.
Gifford shared with MileSplit that there are a couple of scenes from that he keeps seeing over and over in his mind.
"Counselors have been there to help the team, the boys say one of the only things that is helping them cope right now is just to run."
"Angel was a great kid; I apologized to his parents that I don't know them like I should, but it's because your kid always did what he was supposed to do," Gifford added. "He was active in Karate, he was communicative about it and he was at practice every morning at 7:30 to do his job."
Funeral services are set for Friday, October 20, 2023 in Brownwood, Texas at the Heritage Funeral Home at the Davis-Morris Chapel.
Related Links:
How To Donate To Hernandez's GoFundMe.
