Teen Dies After 'Freak Accident' At JV Baseball Game, Suffered 'Traumatic Brain Injury'

A Lansing, Michigan teenage boy died at home Sunday after battling a traumatic brain injury he sustained during a high school baseball game in April.

For nearly two weeks, Bath High School junior Cooper Gardner had been receiving medical care after he suffered a brain injury during a head-on collision at second base in a junior varsity game between Bath and Portland's St. Patrick Catholic School on April 21, Bath High School officials said in a Facebook post.

In an attempt to catch the ball, Gardner tagged a runner trying to steal second base, but the player accidentally kneed him to the head and fell on top of him. Gardner was unconscious for 40 minutes after the blow, the New York Post noted.

Gardner was rushed to Sparrow Hospital and admitted to its pediatric intensive care unit for six days before he was moved to a regular ward on April 28. Gardner was later allowed by doctors to continue his recovery at home. It remains unclear what exactly caused his death on Sunday.

“I never would have thought it would lead to this,” junior varsity coach Michael Collins told The Lansing Journal.

The varsity coach, Scott Peru, was set to visit the teen on Sunday because he was feeling better, according to Collins.

A GoFundMe page, which described the event as a "freak accident," was set up to help with medical bills. The page noted that the teen suffered a "traumatic brain injury along with heart and lung complications." The fundraising page is now collecting monetary donations to also help pay for Gardner's funeral expenses.

When Gardner was sent home to recuperate, the Bath community rallied together to show their support for the teen and his family. The Bath baseball team also sold #CoopStrong T-shirts and wristbands in an effort to raise funds.

"I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support. I ask that you continue to keep Cooper's family and friends in your thoughts and prayers," Elizabeth Milne, the organizer of the fundraising effort, said in a statement.

Gardner's doctors initially said the Bath teen's recovery could take a year. He was supposed to receive physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy upon leaving the hospital.

Gardner's passing is the first death linked to a Michigan school baseball game since 1989, back when sports-related deaths began to be tracked, the Michigan High School Athletic Association noted.

The Lansing teen's teammates, family and friends gathered at the baseball field on Monday, about 15 miles northeast of Lansing, to commemorate the young life lost to the incident.

Bath High School principal Matthew Dodson expressed his devastation following their student's death. Support will be made available to Gardner's family and teammates, Dodson said.