Vigil held today for local student who died after swim meet
FORT BEND COUNTY, TX (KTRK) -- Bouquet after bouquet filled the steps where teenagers would normally run in for swim meets.
Candles fill the area where they may stop to talk to a friend. But, pictures of past meets reminded the hundreds who gathered at the Don Cook Natatorium on Sunday afternoon, why they came.
Just a day after Brian Yuen, 17, a varsity swimmer at Clements High School, collapsed during the middle of a meet. Now they gather for a vigil.
"Brian is always going to live in my heart," said his older brother Arthur, who is currently swimming for Southern Methodist University. "He's going to live on in my heart as someone who is going to push me to be the best I can be because he's always be like that."
There are a total of three Yuen brothers. All are swimmers, Brian was the middle child. He was a swimmer everyone liked.
"We still haven't processed it," said Rachel Sanders, a swimmer from another school.
"It's kind of hard to believe -- it could have been anybody. It could have been someone on our team. To see someone fall like that, it's hard," Bree Cuzzocreo, another swimmer who was at the meet and saw Yuen collapse.
By all accounts, Brian Yuen was at the prime of his life. As a member of the varsity swim team, a medical problem was the farthest from anyone's mind.
"Brian is one of the most healthy people I've ever met. Perfect shape, super athletic, it just rarely happens so suddenly," says Arthur.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday, and the exact cause of death still unknown. For now, all students and parents could do was hold on to each other.
"It was shocking. I didn't expect any of this to happen, especially during a swim meet," said Sandra Rios, a fellow swimmer.
No one here is ready to say goodbye to their friend, but they will start to try.
"It's amazing truly amazing to have all these people come not only to from swim team, not just Clements," said Arthur.
Fort Bend ISD says the senior died after he was taken by ambulance to the hospital.
"The Fort Bend ISD family is heartbroken following the death of a Clements High School student athlete this morning. During a swim meet at the Don Cook Natatorium, a student began experiencing a medical emergency after competing in an event. FBISD staff immediately called 9-1-1 and provided assistance until paramedics arrived at the scene. Sadly, we learned the student passed away after being transported to a local hospital.
The loss of a child is an unimaginable tragedy, and our thoughts and prayers are with the student's family and friends during this extremely difficult time. District crisis teams will be at CHS and our other high schools when classes resume Tuesday. In the meantime, District staff are working closely with CHS administrators to provide immediate support to the student's fellow athletes.
In addition, we remind students they can always contact the FBISD TalkLine 24/7 at 281-240-8255."
Clements High School student dies after medical emergency during swim meet
