TULSA, Okla. — Taeshawn Nelson, an East Central High School football player, was admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital on August 27 after suffering a heat stroke.
The 11th grader began to feel unwell during football practice.
“I was at work and his coach calls me and tells me I need to get to the school because Taeshawn isn’t acting right and he just came in from practice,” said Toby Nelson, the father of 16-year-old Taeshawn. “I instructed them to go ahead and call the EMS and I will be right there. When I got there, EMS had beaten me, and my son was already unconscious. He’s just been fighting ever since.”
Mr. Nelson told FOX23 his son has never experienced heat difficulties in the past.
“Perfect health. Worked out all summer, never had any problems. Got Stronger, got better - just getting better for a dynamic year. This was his year to go all out. He was going to do awesome, but you know, life had other plans,” said Mr. Nelson.
According to the Red Cross, there are steps that should be taken if someone is having problems with heat.
First, if a person is having issues with the heat, they need to cool down right away.
This means getting out of the sun and if they can, find a place with air conditioning.
Have the person sip water and other fluids, preferably something without caffeine or a lot of sugar.
Second, loosen or remove clothing and apply cool, wet cloths to the skin or spray them with water.
Finally, remember to fan the person to aid in lowering their temperature.
Taeshawn’s father warned everyone to take safety precautions seriously.
“The heat stroke damaged his liver and his kidney pretty bad so he’s on dialysis and he has a long road to get back,” said Mr. Nelson. “He’s slowly...getting better, but his liver and his kidney [are] just not functioning. …He looks like he might have to be transported to Oklahoma City to see a specialist.”
Taeshawn’s family is relying on faith to get through this challenging time.
If you would like to help the family, click here to donate to the GoFundMe.