According to a recent allegation, a collegiate wrestler in Kentucky died of heatstroke after his coaches denied his urgent demands for water during practice due to his poor performance.
What Became of Him?
On August 31, 2020, on the first day of wrestling conditioning at the University of the Cumberlands, Grant Brace, 20, yelled to his team, “I need water, guys. “Get me some water,” according to WKRC-TV. Witnesses told local police in Williamsburg, Ky., that Brace’s increasingly frantic pleas were rejected even as he began speaking gibberish, jerking, and claiming he couldn’t see.
Brace was discovered on the ground, gripping the grass two hours after practice. According to medical personnel, he died of exertional heatstroke, which is avoidable.
Police Investigation:
According to the station’s continuing investigative series, the Williamsburg Police Department questioned more than 40 wrestling team members to describe the circumstances that led to the wrestler’s death.
According to officials, coaches reportedly told the team members to “put their water bottles on the fence and not touch them” when the group moved their afternoon practice outside the gym at 3 p.m.
According to the station, the team was instructed to sprint up “Punishment Hill,” a 200-foot slope with a 35% incline. The workouts were a punishment for a teammate who did not fulfil his fundraising targets. After failing to keep up, a fatigued Brace was allegedly instructed by coaches to “leave the hill and clean up his locker” when he took a break. Brace did retire to the locker room but quickly returned and indicated his willingness to prove himself, according to the report.
“Several witnesses mention a lot of verbal abuse by the coaches and even teammates as Grant proceeded to try sprints up the hill,” according to Williamsburg Police Chief Wayne Bird.
“Witnesses recall Grant hanging on to a tiny tree branch on the hill after the sprints, wobbling back and forth and saying, ‘I can’t stand.'” Brace allegedly lay on a gym mat after practice and begged for water. According to the report, a coach interfered as a teammate wrapped ice in a towel to chill Brace down, citing Brace’s poor sprinting performance.
“At one point, witnesses claim Grant opened a cooler full of ice given by the trainer and started immersing himself in the ice and showering ice over his body,” Bird said. Witnesses claim his physical state started to worsen as he asked the team for a drink, to the point that his eyes twitched.
Grant Brace’s Health:
According to the investigation, Brace, who suffered from narcolepsy and was taking Adderall and was supposed to be given “unlimited access to water,” told witnesses he couldn’t see, started speaking “gibberish,” and tackled a teammate to the ground before fleeing the gym. According to surveillance video, he then raced to an adjacent building and attempted to enter a closed door.
“Grant looked to be in panic or what I would characterise as fight or flight in the video,” Bird allegedly stated. According to the station, he was discovered on all fours close to what seemed to vomit almost two hours later. “Heatstroke occurs when your core temperature rises beyond 104 degrees,” national heat expert Bud Cooper says.
“In heatstroke, people usually lose consciousness. You may also select them out again. You’ll start to notice them. They will be unable to continue an activity. They’ll be sluggish. They will be unable to converse.” According to reports, Brace’s family filed a police complaint and wrongful death lawsuit against the institution, alleging that coaches failed to safeguard Brace’s health and safety.
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