Florida high school football player, 18, dies after collapsing during Friday night game

A Florida high school football player is dead after he collapsed during his school’s game Friday.

Chance Gainer, a senior at Port St. Joe High School in Florida’s panhandle, is the seventh high school athlete to die this school year.

According to Gulf District Schools Superintendent Jim Norton, the recently turned 18-year-old was on the field just before halftime,

running toward the play when all of a sudden he dropped to the ground. His coaches ran onto the field and immediately called for paramedics.


Gainer reportedly did not have a pulse when he was first attended to, but prior to being placed in the ambulance EMTs were able to get a pulse. The teen was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died.

The high school’s athletic director, Vice Principal Tim Davis, was present at the game and told Northwest Florida Daily News there was about four minutes left in Friday’s game when school officials learned the teen died.

The decision was made that the teams would finish the game, which Port St. Joe won 28-0, before Gainer’s teammates were told of the outcome.

“The scene was heartbreaking,” Davis said. “Parents came down on the field to comfort their kids. Such a helpless feeling.”

A GoFundMe was set up to help the Gainer family with financial support as they work their way through their loss. As of Monday afternoon, more than $64,000 has been raised.

The Gulf County School district has announced a series of events, ending with a celebration of life, to honor Gainer.

It breaks my heart to hear about yet another student athlete who has lost their life doing what they love. Chance, may you rest in peace.

Related articles

BREAKING NEWS: Social media buzzes after claims surface that Elon Musk was about to embrace a spiritual path, only for a mysterious encounter to change everything

In a scene that stunned thousands and quickly set the internet ablaze, tech billionaire Elon Musk was reportedly moments away from accepting Jesus Christ during a live event — until an unidentified…

IT JUST HAPPENED?! Elon Musk “Flips” the Smartphone World as $175 Tesla Pi / Starlink Phone Claims Go Viral

The internet is on fire right now — and once again, Elon Musk is at the center of the chaos . Over the past few hours, viral posts…

Robert De Niro’s Moral Earthquake at the Manhattan Gala: “Greed Is Weakness. Compassion Is True Power”

Today, December 18, 2025, in the dazzling setting of a Manhattan gala—where crystal glasses glittered and soft music floated through gilded walls—luxury suddenly felt meaningless. Robert De…

Elon Musk Just Transformed a Dilapidated Orphanage into an Unimaginable Miracle… but what’s truly haunting is how quietly it happened, with no announcements and no explanations

The story began when photos surfaced online showing a crumbling, forgotten orphanage suddenly reborn into something breathtaking. New classrooms, warm dormitories, gardens, and technology centers appeared almost…

COSMIC CATASTROPHE: The Sun Is Cracking Open and Scientists Warn It Could DESTROY EVERYTHING Within 2 Weeks — Elon Musk Says “When it starts tonight… nothing will survive”

The universe may have just undergone a profound change. Late last night, astronomers across the globe confirmed that the red supergiant Betelgeuse, one of the brightest and…

IT JUST HAPPENED?! Elon Musk “Flips” the Smartphone World as $175 Tesla Pi / Starlink Phone Claims Go Viral

Over the past few hours, viral posts claiming the arrival of a $175 Tesla Pi / Starlink Phone have exploded across X, TikTok, and tech forums, promising features that…