Tragically, a 19-year-old student was killed at a track meet. He went to Wheaton College and had decided to volunteer at the meet. During the hammer throw, he was accidentally struck with one of the hammers.
The accident happened right around 4:15 in the afternoon. Since it was an athletic event, there were already Wheaton College Public Safety officials and local paramedics at the meet. They attended to him and took him to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, which is located in Downers Grove. Unfortunately, medical officials announced that he had passed away.
The young man lived a very full life, according to his family members, who talked about his kindness and compassion, even when he was young. His parents were working as missionaries when he was a child, and he lived in Zimbabwe until he was about 6.
College officials posted about the incident on social media as they organized a gathering for students, and they said that the incident, while tragic, was an accident. The president of the college even released a statement. More facts about the young man’s death will be learned after an autopsy is carried out.
When colleges, universities and other organizations put on events, they do have an obligation to work to keep volunteers and spectators safe. This doesn’t mean that they can prevent all accidents, but they also can’t be negligent and create an atmosphere where an accident is likely to happen. If this does occur and a person is killed, the family members may want to know if they have a right to compensation for lost future wages, funeral costs and more.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “Family recalls Wheaton College student who died in track meet accident,” Grace Wong and Joe Mahr, April 23, 2017