UPDATE 2/15: According to the Research Medical Center, the beloved Coach Eric Driskell passed away on Wednesday at 4:53 p.m.
The Blue Valley football coach was on life support after he suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm Sunday night.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Jayson Neil at Research Medical Center said on Tuesday that Coach Driskell had irreversible brain damage because of it.
He said that the family is making preparations to donate his organs.
Even though time is short, the Driskell family is not just focused on themselves. They're thinking about others.
Hundreds of people they know, and total strangers, have been praying and showing how much they love Coach Driskell.
Dr. Neil is helping to treat Driskell and explained that the family appreciates every act of kindness and concern.
"Their amount of caring for other people in the community and their interest in even during a very sad time like this and making sure that the community understands and is aware of what's going on and trying to help the community is overwhelmingly impressive. There is very few families that could cope with a situation like this with as much grace and caring as they are, " said Dr. Neil.
The neurosurgeon explains that a brain aneurysm occurs when an artery providing blood to the brain ruptures. There are typically no symptoms that someone has a brain aneurysm. Dr. Neil said people with a family history are at greater risk for aneurysms as well as women, African-Americans, people with high blood pressure, and people who smoke.
Symptoms of a ruptured brain aneurysm include sudden and severe headache, neck pain, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, fading or loss of consciousness and seizures.
If you have those symptoms get help and get to a hospital with a trauma center equipped to handle a brain aneurysms.
Dr. Neil said the Driskell family is hoping that by sharing information about brain aneurysms they will help others avoid their tragic loss.
A GoFundMe account has been setup for the Driskell family.
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
