Freshman Basketball Player at University of Mobile Dies After Collapsing on Campus

A college basketball player at the University of Mobile in Alabama died unexpectedly following a collapse on campus.

Freshman Kaiden Francis died on Tuesday, Nov. 19, “after doing what he loved to do, working on his craft in the gym,” the university’s head basketball coach, Darnell Archey, said in a post on Facebook honoring Francis’ memory.

In a letter to students and faculty regarding the tragic incident, Charles Smith, University of Mobile president, said that “despite the quick and heroic efforts of students and medical professionals, Kaiden never recovered.”

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“My family and I had the privilege of watching Kaiden play just last week. He was profoundly gifted and clearly loved by his teammates. As you can imagine, Kaiden’s family, coaches, and teammates are heartbroken and need our prayers,” Smith’s message continued.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Associate Vice -

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President for University Communications Kathy Dean said, "Like all of our athletes, Kaiden recently passed a battery of health screenings, including heart and lung evaluations. None of these tests indicated health concerns. Kaiden was found unresponsive shortly after he finished his weekly skills workout with UM coaching staff and trainers. Out of respect for the family, we have no plans to comment further at this time."

The Fort Lauderdale resident was described lovingly by Archey, who said, “Kaiden was just scratching the surface on the court but his smile and positive energy could be felt from day 1.”

“He will be truly missed and I can’t thank him enough for being a part of my life over the past few months.  My heart aches for his family, friends and teammates,” Archey added.

Classes were canceled on Wednesday, Nov. 20, “to give our community time to mourn and pray,” according to the university, but a “campus-wide” vigil was still held on-site Wednesday morning.

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