OXFORD – The autopsy report of a 20-year old football player that collapsed on the practice field earlier this year, cited exertion, cardiomegaly and complications from sickle cell trait, as a factor in his death. On Feb. 19, school officials said Ole Miss football player Bennie Abram had trouble 15 minutes into a routine workout with his team.
Abram – a 5-foot-9, 186-pound walk-on safety – was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford where he died at 12:11 p.m.
The autopsy results were released nearly three months after his death.
“For us, Bennie’s case was not a straight-forward presentation for sickle cell trait in a sudden death event,” Dr. Jeffrey Dennis told The Journal. “We knew he had tested positive, and we treated him accordingly in the hospital and on the field.”
Sickle cell trait occurs in approximately eight percent of the African-American population, and Ole Miss has tested its athletes for sickle cell since 1989, said Shannon Singletary, Senior Associate Athletics Director of Sports Medicine and Strength and Conditioning.
“It has been shown that sickle cell trait does increase the risk of sudden death events, but in most circumstances, athletes do really well with sickle cell trait,” Dennis told The Journal. “We’re watching it closely, but it wouldn’t disqualify a player from participating.”
Abram also had a history of asthma and received medication from the pharmacy for upper respiratory tract symptoms the night before he collapsed, The Journal reported. Abram didn’t report the medication to the team, and Dennis said those things could have played a role, as well.
“We hope this tragedy is something we can work forward with continuing education and hopefully have more answers to be found in the future with sickle cell in sudden death events,” Dennis said.
The Journal also said the Ole Miss football team plans to honor Abram by putting his initials on their helmets this fall. The Rebels are dedicating the 2010 season to Abram’s memory.
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