A skilled young baseball player died in hospital Tuesday after suffering a serious head injury, and his parents are left wondering how it all happened.
Tsawwassen resident Kyle Losse, who recently celebrated his 14th birthday, played for the , a triple-A team that includes players from North Delta, Ladner and Tsawwassen.
Niki Losse, Kyle鈥檚 step-mom, said she and her husband, Brian, were in bed on Sunday night (Jan. 21) when they heard a loud noise from the bathroom, where they found their son lying on the floor with a vape pen beside him.
鈥淏y the looks of things, he just got it (the vape pen) that weekend,鈥� Niki told the Now-Leader on Thursday.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not 100 per cent sure what happened 鈥� whether he was vaping, got dizzy, hit his head, it doesn鈥檛 make sense.鈥� They鈥檙e doing an autopsy to hopefully find out.鈥�
Incoherent, Kyle was rushed by his family to Delta Hospital after they found him Sunday night.
鈥淭he only testing they did was a toxicology test, a blood and urine sample, and it came back saying there were no drugs in his system,鈥� Niki said. 鈥淭hey told me that the types of things out there, they can鈥檛 test for everything. So they focused on the fact that he had this e-vape, and they didn鈥檛 focus much on his head at that point.鈥�
The parents were told by hospital staff to take Kyle home, 鈥渁nd have him rest for two days, and to come back for blood work on Wednesday,鈥� Niki said.
At home Monday, Kyle developed a rash on his body, Niki said, and he took a turn for the worse. That afternoon, first responders came to the house and Kyle was taken to BC Children鈥檚 Hospital.
Kyle, a Grade 8 student at South Delta Secondary, was taken off life support Tuesday (Jan. 23) and died around lunchtime.
Cam Frick, head coach of the Delta Tigers team, said Kyle was a very good baseball player 鈥� 鈥渕aybe the top Grade 8 player in the province鈥� in coaching circles, he said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Tigers鈥� Twitter account posted a message saying, 鈥淭oday we lost an amazing young man and ballplayer. Please keep the Losse family in your thoughts and prayers.鈥�
Today we lost an amazing young man and ballplayer. Please keep the Losse family in your thoughts and prayers.
鈥� Delta Tigers AAA (@deltatigersaaa)
A day as a parent, coach or teammate, I never wish to have anyone go thru. Thoughts and prayers to all involved.
鈥� Frenchy (@lanche57)
Kyle鈥檚 teammates were told of his hospitalization on Monday evening, during a practice that was then cancelled.
鈥淭hat was the toughest thing ever, telling the team last night. We鈥檙e shocked,鈥� said Frick.
On Monday, by Ben Lock, 鈥渄edicated to the family of the 14-year-old Kyle Losse who passed away on January 22.鈥�
South Delta Secondary principal Terry Ainge wrote a letter to school parents on Tuesday.
鈥淚 am writing to you today with sad news,鈥� Ainge wrote. 鈥淎 current South Delta Secondary student has sustained a serious injury and is on life support.
鈥淚n an attempt to respect the family鈥檚 privacy we will not be providing names or details at this time,鈥� Ainge said in the letter.
SEE ALSO: Surrey basketball player remembered as 鈥榞reat kid鈥� with 鈥榩romising future鈥�
In Ainge鈥檚 letter to parents, he said administrators started their school day 鈥渂y connecting with staff and students to share that this student was on life support. We provided students with the opportunity to talk about their thoughts and feelings with both teachers and a counselor as needed. The school was provided with additional District staff to facilitate these supports.鈥�
鈥淒uring situations like this, it is important to be aware of the various roles social media can play,鈥� Ainge added.
鈥淲e understand and appreciate expressions of empathy and support. On the other hand, rumors and speculation are not helpful to the family at this time. Please remind your child of the appropriate use of social media.鈥�
