U.S.

Heat Stroke Claims NFL Player

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

August 1, 2001 / 9:14 AM EDT / CBS

Minnesota Vikings right tackle Korey Stringer died Wednesday morning due to complications from heat stroke — the second death of a football player in the past week from heat related illness.

Stringer developed symptoms of heat stroke including weakness and rapid breathing following the team's morning practice Tuesday.

He was taken by ambulance to Immanuel St. Joseph's Hospital after going through morning conditioning drills and returning to the team's locker room.

Stringer was unresponsive when he arrived at the hospital, and had a temperature of over 108 degrees.

He developed multi-organ system failure throughout the day requiring attention of multiple specialists and staff, a statement from the Vikings said.

Stringer didn't regain consciousness. His heart failed at 1:50 a.m.

Heat & Health

Heat stroke occurs when the body gets too hot to regulate its own temperature. Symptoms include high body temperature, red skin, rapid pulse, headache and nausea.

Click here to learn first aid for heat stroke…

Or here to learn how to prevent heat exhaustion

The temperature on the team's second day of training camp reached the low 90s, but stifling humidity raised the heat index to as high as 110 degrees.

Stringer vomited at least three times during Tuesday's practice and got the wind knocked out of him during one-on-one drills. He nevertheless finished the practice and joined his fellow offensive linemen for post-practice conditioning.

Daunte Culpepper, Cris Carter and other players and coaches visited the hospital after workouts.

Stringer, 27, struggled earlier in his career to keep his weight under control, but made the Pro Bowl last year for the first time. He and 359-pound guard David Dixon helped clear holes on the right side of the line for running back Robert Smith, who rushed for a franchise-best 1,521 yards last season.

Stringer, an Ohio native, was drafted by the Vikings our of Ohio State in the first round in 1995. The 6-4, 346 pound stringer started in 91 of the 93 games he played during his six seasons in the NFL.

Last week, Eraste Autin, a freshman fullback at Florida State University, died after collapsing with heat strokon July 19. He was the 18th high school or college football player since 1995 to die from heat stroke, Dr. Fred Mueller of the University of North Carolina's sports medicine department said.

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