HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — Hudsonville High School is joining Fennville High School in hosting a Never Forgotten Basketball Game in honor of Wes Leonard, a Fennville High School basketball player who collapsed on the court after making a game winning shot in 2011. It was later determined Leonard died of sudden cardiac arrest.
The game will be held at Hudsonville High School on Friday night, Jan. 25, and it will raise money for the Wes Leonard Heart Team, a non-profit whose goal is to put AEDs in schools that don't have them or can't afford them.
Hudsonville will be competing against West Ottawa in the Never Forgotten game.
"The event last year was incredibly well run and did more than just raise money for the Wes Leonard Heart Team," said Kevin Wolma, Hudsonville's Athletic Director. "More importantly it created an awareness about sudden cardiac arrest and the significant impact of having AEDS in your buildings."
About $2,600 needs to be raised for each school to be able to purchase an AED, according to the Wes Leonard Heart Team.
Deaths like Leonard's is relatively rare, killing about 5 out of 100,000 people under the age of 40 in Michigan. However, recent incidents have raised the urgency and awareness surrounding the need for ready access to AEDs.
Nearly a year ago in March 2018, Zeke Upshaw, a Grand Rapids Drive player, collapsed on the court during a home game. He died two days later, and the cause of death was determined to be a "sudden cardiac death." Upshaw's family is suing the NBA, the Drive and the Deltaplex, claiming that life-saving measures were not performed quickly enough.
The lawsuit says "for much longer than four full minutes, no cardio-pulmonary resuscitation was initiated, no chest compressions were started, no oxygen mask was placed on his nose and mouth, no airway was cleared and secured, and no defibrillator sensors and electric delivery patches were attached and secured to Zeke's chest."
Another recent case reignited discussion about AEDs. Luke Anhalt, a Calvary Christian senior basketball player, collapsed on the basketball court during a free throw drill on Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018.
Anhalt's coach used an AED that was in the gym to save the 17-year-old's life. Calvary Christian invested in the AED after Wes Leonard's death.
As Anhalt recovered, his parents said they want to continue the mission that Leonard's family started—to ensure all schools and public spaces have an AED. He is playing his first game since collapsing on Friday when Calvary Christian plays Calvary from Holland.
Friday night's Never Forgotten Game starts at 6 p.m. at Hudsonville High School with the boys team playing first, followed by the girls.
There will also be raffles, donation buckets and events throughout the night that will help raise money for Wes Leonard Heart Team.
Fennville's eighth annual Never Forgotten Game will be held on Feb. 22.
Visit this website to learn which schools have AEDs available and how to apply to receive an AED at no cost.
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Rose White is a digital producer for 13 ON YOUR SIDE. You can contact her at rwhite@13onyourside.com or on Twitter.