I was never a “sporty” kind of gal. I dabbled on a few teams here and there, but sports never really spoke to me. My son, on the other hand, is beyond athletic and I am so thrilled for him. Sports are an excellent way for kids to build character and identity and, in turn, has been an incredible way for me to build community. But all sports come with risks, and as he gets older, the competition’s starting to heat up. Coaches are beginning to care and worry about performance, as is he.
I put a lot of trust in his coaches to make sure he isn’t overextended or injuring himself, and most responsible adults are extremely receptive to that. In every youth sport, however, you will also encounter parents who have a bloodlust for winning, and that can have a lot of negative impacts on the children under their wings.
Reese Bryan, a competitive cheerleader from the Elite Cheer squad in Omaha, Nebraska, had coaches who seemingly put competition ahead of her needs. Sadly, she died on February 23, 2024, reportedly because of their neglect. Law & Crime reported that the young girl died from a massive brain bleed. Reese was allegedly forced to perform flips, handsprings, and tumbling by her cheer coaches despite vomiting and collapsing at practice, her family claims.
In a lawsuit obtained by the Daily Mail, the family also claims the cheerleading team was aware of an “existing neurological condition.” Her parents, who dropped her off at said practice and left, say coaches should have stopped Reese from doing back flips. The young girl had reportedly taken ill at a Kansas competition days earlier.
During practice, Reese began vomiting and couldn’t stand, walk, or hear. Amanda Bryan, Reese’s mother, said coaches texted her to pick up Reese because she was vomiting, per the Daily Mail. By the time she arrived, she could see it was much worse. Reese’s face appeared drooped, she slurred her words, and she started shaking uncontrollably.
Her mother took her to the hospital, where she remained for three weeks before she died. An autopsy months later revealed that the young girl actually had a brain tumor. The mom shared that despite her daughter showing signs and symptoms of a tumor, a scan was never ordered.
“Reese’s underlying tumor of pilocytic astrocytoma went undiagnosed and, most importantly, untreated,” the parents’ legal complaint stated. “The tumor … was highly treatable if properly diagnosed. As a proximate result of Dr. Vanderbur’s violation of the applicable standards of care, Reese suffered: Bleeding of her tumor, internal cranial pressure from the bleeding in her brain … Aggravation and worsening of her then existing neurological condition; death on Feb. 23, 2024.”
The lawsuit also claims she was left alone and shielded behind mats while teammates were told not to approach her.
A GoFundMe account was started for the girl while she was in the hospital to help her parents manage time off from work. After her death, it was updated, saying funds would be used to help cover the financial burden of her passing.
“Reese is a vibrant, loving, beautiful, caring, generous, beast of an athlete, smart, AMAZING little girl,” the fundraiser description reads.
