SEBASTIAN — Funeral arrangements have been made for 14-year-old William Shogran Jr., the Sebastian River High Sharks football player who died earlier this week while away at training camp.
Visitation will be held Monday, Aug. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Seawinds Funeral Home, located at 735 S. Fleming St., Sebastian.
The funeral service will follow on Tuesday, Aug. 19, at 4 p.m. at the Sebastian River High School Performing Arts Center, located at 9001 90th Ave., Sebastian.
Reported Aug. 13
SEBASTIAN — The cause of Sebastian River High School football player William Shogran Jr.’s death won’t be officially known for several weeks, according to the medical examiner’s office in Gainesville.
Shogran Jr., 14, died Wednesday from what appears to be heat-related illness following a morning training session with the team. The Sebastian River Sharks were conducting a summer training camp at Camp Blanding, a military base in Starke, Fla., in the Gainesville area.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that an autopsy is expected to be conducted today but results won’t be final until toxicology and other test results are returned from the lab, which could take weeks before an exact cause of death is known.
Preliminary findings have not been established at this time, according to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Mary Justino.
Shogran Jr. is the son of Florida Highway Patrol officer William Shogran.
“As you all know, we are beginning today with heavy hearts after Trooper William Shogran and his family lost their 14-year-old son,” reads a statement put out by FHP spokesman Sgt. Mark G. Wysocky on behalf of the family. “Words cannot describe the loss of one’s child, so please keep the Shogran family in your thoughts and prayers. Again, William and his family appreciate the support and would request privacy during their time of sorrow. Thank You.”
Superintendent Dr. Fran Adams is asking the community to keep the family involved and the Sebastian River High School “football families” in their thoughts and prayers.
According to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, an SRHS coach called 911 at about 11 a.m. regarding Shogran becoming ill.
He was transported to Shands Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
According to information relayed during the 911 call, Shogran fell ill due to the heat following a training session.
Team members, coaches and staff were interviewed by Clay County Sheriff’s Office investigators.
Shogran Jr.’s Wednesday morning started at 6:15 a.m. with weight conditioning, followed by breakfast at 7 a.m., according to the investigative report. At 8:45 a.m., Shogran Jr. and the team went out to the field to participate in various activities based on their position.
Teammates told investigators that Shogran Jr. said he did not feel well. However, Head Coach Kevin Pettis and assistant coaches said they had no knowledge of Shogran’s statements at that time.
Shortly thereafter, Shogran Jr. walked toward the sidelines where water was located, according to the report. When Coach Pettis asked if he were OK, the student said he felt dizzy, Pettis told investigators.
Pettis then gave Shogran Jr. water and began removing the player’s shoulder pads and other equipment. Shogran Jr. then told Pettis that he felt like he was going to pass out, the report states, which prompted the call to 911 “for precautionary reasons.”
As emergency responders arrived on scene, the player became lethargic and unresponsive, the Sheriff’s Office said in the report. CPR was administered and Shogran Jr. was taken to Shands Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Shogran Jr. and his teammates arrived at Camp Blanding around 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12, for what was to be a two-day training camp. That night, they did a 45-minute training session before dinner and then “lights out” was called at 11 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Office report.
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Risk Management Bill Fritz said the Indian River County School District was notified late Wednesday morning that the player was in “medical distress.” Later, they received word the student had died.
“The School District and Sebastian River High School communities are deeply saddened by this news,” Fritz said in a prepared statement sent to VeroNews.com.