Lisa Salberg
10-29-2005, 09:57 AM
Schoolboy dies after gym class at Newark Tech
Friday, October 28, 2005
BY JONATHAN CASIANO AND REGINALD ROBERTS
Star-Ledger Staff
A 16-year-old high school junior collapsed yesterday while taking gym class at the Essex County Technical Careers Center in Newark and later died.
Darius Slater, who also played football for Shabazz High School, fell to the ground around 10:30 a.m. as he and his classmates ran warm- up laps around the gym, school officials said. Still conscious but unable to stand up, Darius was taken to University Hospital, where he died shortly after noon.
Doctors have attributed Darius' death to a massive heart attack, but the teen's father, Darryl Slater, said the family was waiting for the medical examiner to determine an exact cause of death.
"It's so hard to believe. I never, ever expected," Slater said last night. "He was such a good boy. He just wanted to do good so bad."
Slater said his son passed out last year during football practice and collapsed the year before during gym, but he was never diagnosed with a medical condition.
After last year's incident, Darius' parents took him off the team and had him examined by a host of cardiologists, neurologists and other specialists. But none of the doctors was able to find anything to keep Darius off the field, and he was cleared to return to physical activity.
Before this year's football season, the teenager took another physical and was once again cleared to play the game and participate in gym.
"He took every test you could imagine, and they didn't find anything wrong," his father said. "This summer he worked out every day during the hot weather and had no problems."
Darius' death comes only a day after 17-year-old Dayvone McClouden collapsed and died during gym class at Lincoln High School in Jersey City. McClouden, who attended the school's night session, passed out on his way to the school's bathroom after shooting baskets in the gym. The cause of his death has not been determined.
A lifelong Newark resident, Darius was fascinated by cars and dreamed of one day designing them himself. He built models, poured over car magazines and enrolled in the vo-tech's automotive tech program.
At a recent back to school night, his teachers praised his polite disposition, and Essex County Vocational Schools Superintendent Frank Cancellieri called him a "high flyer" in the classroom. His father said Darius already had started looking at automotive trade schools he could attend after graduation.
When he wasn't studying cars, Darius could be found on the football field, playing center and defensive end for Shabazz High, a 6-1 squad currently ranked in The Star-Ledger Top 20. Though not the most naturally gifted player, Shabazz head coach David McCombs said the second-stringer had a "phenomenal" work ethic that would have earned him a starting spot on next year's team.
"He was great kid," said McCombs. "He tried and struggled to do his best."
At Newark Tech, as the vocational school is known, students were stunned yesterday as teachers shared the news about the teenager's death. Even after school let out, Cancellieri said dozens of kids lingered around the building consoling one another.
"There are almost 700 kids in that building, but you could've walked through the building and heard a pin drop," Cancellieri said. "The whole district is feeling it."
Meanwhile, at Shabazz, McCombs said his players were struggling to deal with another death, having lost 16-year-old tailback Dawud Roberts in a violent stabbing in February. But McCombs said Darius' family insisted the team go ahead with today's pep rally and take the field for tonight's homecoming game versus East Side High.
"Homecoming is going to have a new meaning now," McCombs said.
Cancellieri said grief counselors would be on hand today at Newark Tech to help students deal with the loss.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Whigham Funeral Home in Newark.
The Jersey Journal contributed to this report. Jonathan Casiano covers Essex County. He may be reached at jcasiano@starledger.com.
© 2005 The Star Ledger
© 2005 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.
Friday, October 28, 2005
BY JONATHAN CASIANO AND REGINALD ROBERTS
Star-Ledger Staff
A 16-year-old high school junior collapsed yesterday while taking gym class at the Essex County Technical Careers Center in Newark and later died.
Darius Slater, who also played football for Shabazz High School, fell to the ground around 10:30 a.m. as he and his classmates ran warm- up laps around the gym, school officials said. Still conscious but unable to stand up, Darius was taken to University Hospital, where he died shortly after noon.
Doctors have attributed Darius' death to a massive heart attack, but the teen's father, Darryl Slater, said the family was waiting for the medical examiner to determine an exact cause of death.
"It's so hard to believe. I never, ever expected," Slater said last night. "He was such a good boy. He just wanted to do good so bad."
Slater said his son passed out last year during football practice and collapsed the year before during gym, but he was never diagnosed with a medical condition.
After last year's incident, Darius' parents took him off the team and had him examined by a host of cardiologists, neurologists and other specialists. But none of the doctors was able to find anything to keep Darius off the field, and he was cleared to return to physical activity.
Before this year's football season, the teenager took another physical and was once again cleared to play the game and participate in gym.
"He took every test you could imagine, and they didn't find anything wrong," his father said. "This summer he worked out every day during the hot weather and had no problems."
Darius' death comes only a day after 17-year-old Dayvone McClouden collapsed and died during gym class at Lincoln High School in Jersey City. McClouden, who attended the school's night session, passed out on his way to the school's bathroom after shooting baskets in the gym. The cause of his death has not been determined.
A lifelong Newark resident, Darius was fascinated by cars and dreamed of one day designing them himself. He built models, poured over car magazines and enrolled in the vo-tech's automotive tech program.
At a recent back to school night, his teachers praised his polite disposition, and Essex County Vocational Schools Superintendent Frank Cancellieri called him a "high flyer" in the classroom. His father said Darius already had started looking at automotive trade schools he could attend after graduation.
When he wasn't studying cars, Darius could be found on the football field, playing center and defensive end for Shabazz High, a 6-1 squad currently ranked in The Star-Ledger Top 20. Though not the most naturally gifted player, Shabazz head coach David McCombs said the second-stringer had a "phenomenal" work ethic that would have earned him a starting spot on next year's team.
"He was great kid," said McCombs. "He tried and struggled to do his best."
At Newark Tech, as the vocational school is known, students were stunned yesterday as teachers shared the news about the teenager's death. Even after school let out, Cancellieri said dozens of kids lingered around the building consoling one another.
"There are almost 700 kids in that building, but you could've walked through the building and heard a pin drop," Cancellieri said. "The whole district is feeling it."
Meanwhile, at Shabazz, McCombs said his players were struggling to deal with another death, having lost 16-year-old tailback Dawud Roberts in a violent stabbing in February. But McCombs said Darius' family insisted the team go ahead with today's pep rally and take the field for tonight's homecoming game versus East Side High.
"Homecoming is going to have a new meaning now," McCombs said.
Cancellieri said grief counselors would be on hand today at Newark Tech to help students deal with the loss.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Whigham Funeral Home in Newark.
The Jersey Journal contributed to this report. Jonathan Casiano covers Essex County. He may be reached at jcasiano@starledger.com.
© 2005 The Star Ledger
© 2005 NJ.com All Rights Reserved.