Crime & Safety
Long Beach High School Soccer Player Dies During Game
A 15-year-old soccer player for Cabrillo High School died during a match on Friday.
LONG BEACH, CA — Counseling services were made available Tuesday to students and staff at Cabrillo High School in Long Beach following the death of a 15-year-old freshman soccer player who suffered a medical emergency during a game.
Brian Gonzalez died Friday during a freshman-sophomore match against Poly High.
"We are heartbroken to share that a Cabrillo High School 9th grade student passed away after experiencing a medical emergency during a soccer game," the school posted on Instagram over the weekend. "Our thoughts are with the student's family, and the entire community."
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School officials said counseling services were being offered at the campus Tuesday.
Soccer players from Cabrillo High and other schools, along with members of the teen's family, gathered at the soccer field Saturday for a vigil in Brian's memory.
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Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson paid tribute on X over the weekend, writing, "I want to take a moment to acknowledge the Cabrillo High School community, which is mourning the loss of a 9th grade student, Brian, who passed away yesterday after experiencing a medical emergency during a soccer game. This is a devastating loss that no family or community should ever have to experience. My prayers are with Brian's family, loved ones, and the Cabrillo High School family."
In a post Friday on Instagram, the official Cabrillo Boys Soccer account announced the boy's death, saying it was "the hardest post we have ever had to make."
"Forever and always we will hold Brian in our hearts," the post added.
The death occurred during the Cabrillo frosh-soph soccer team's game against Poly High on Friday.
A GoFundMe page created to benefit the teen's family had raised nearly $20,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
"Brian was a beloved son, brother, cousin and friend -- he played soccer at Cabrillo High School and was a source of joy, laughter, and love to everyone who knew him," according to the page. "His kindness and light shone brightly, and he had a special way of teaching those around him to love deeply and without hesitation."
The GoFundMe page is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/hel....
A cause of death has not been released.
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