Coaches George Meredith and Bill Lee were named individually in the complaint but the Grayson County School System was not named in the lawsuit by Keith Michael Walker’s parents, Dr. Michael and Amy Walker.
The 13-year-old Walker was practicing with the middle school team on October 14, 2008 when he collapsed. He was later taken to Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy performed the next day found that he died of apparent sudden cardiac death, according to Grayson County Coroner Joe Brad Hudson.
The complaint states the coaches’ negligence was a substantial factor in causing the personal injuries to Walker and a result of the conduct of the coaches the Walkers are asking for the following damages: Keith’s medical expenses from October 14 through his death; funeral and burial costs; Keith’s pain and suffering; destruction of Keith’s earning capacity; Michael Walker’s loss of parental consortium; Amy Walker’s loss of parental consortium; punitive damages and such other compensatory and consequential damages as may be established by discovery in this matter.
This lawsuit is similar to the suit filed in the Jefferson County courts against the coaches in the death of Max Gilpin, the Pleasure Ridge Park football player who collapsed during practice last summer.
The Walkers have retained the same attorney, Todd Thompson, who is representing Gilpin’s parents and the Jefferson County case. Jefferson County Public Schools was not named in the Gilpin case, only PRP head coach Jason Stinson and several assistant coaches were named.
Grayson County Schools Superintendent Barry Anderson was not available for comment and both Lee and Meredith refused to comment on the lawsuit.
i give the best of luck to michael amy and taylor walker and my prayers are with you. god bless you.
As a teacher and someone who speaks with members of the community quite often, I feel that both teachers and volunteers are on the verge of giving up any activities that involve supervising students outside of the school day. If we are going to be held accountable for every accident that happens, how can we continue to do these things? I can't blame these two men or any other members of this school system who decide to forego these positions. Coaching, sponsoring clubs, and even letting students stay after school to work on projects used to be enjoyable. It's now a constant worry because of the parents of these children. Let me reiterate that the students are not the cause of concern on the part of teachers; it is their parents who want to blame someone else for everything.
I wish people would stop to think about what a lawsuit like this will do to the coaches, Grayson County schools, and the community. No matter how much money is involved, it's not worth ruining people's lives. Money will not bring this young man back, and money can't soften the grieving process regardless of what any lawyer says.
The article above states that the lawsuit is because of the coaches "negligence", however in the original article when the boy died, it stated that they were practicing in an air conditioned gym and that practice had just begun... Also, I have heard that the doctor that gave the physical to make sure the boy was in good health was Dr. Walker (Keith's father). If anyone can confirm or prove this otherwise, please do. Should that not be negligent?
What is hard for me to comprehend is a law suit against the coaches. Everyone wants to blame someone else for anything and everything that happens to them. My daughter could drop dead this afternoon in aerobics class, is it the instructor's fault? I would doubt it. Is it my fault that I did not get her screened more closely? Maybe. Or, is it beyond everyone's control? Very possible.
I understand also that some coaches may push kids to far in extreme weather conditions, etc. I can't imagine that the conditions were extreme in the gym that day. What message are we sending to coaches, volunteers who try to work with kids activities? Why would anyone want to be a coach and take on that responsiblity now? All the kids have left in our community is the organized activities from the school and church groups and that may be a thing of the past all over the country pending the publicity and outcomes of these cases.
There are valid reasons for recovery of damages in certain instances, ie, wrong limb cut off in surgery, etc...but for this, I am not convinced.
Walker Family, I will pray for you.
Coaches, I will pray for you and your family as well.
Tragic Accident.....
Maybe the Walkers need to enlighten the community about factors that the community has not previously been made aware. There is a divide and it looks like the Walkers are being painted in a bad light.
I do not remember reading anything about if there
were any prior issues as far as health this young one may have had but I assume that there was none due to his being a basketball player.
My thoughts go out to these parents and my prayers are for them as they met each day without their child in their lives.
The public does not know all that transpired and that is not their right to know to go into the private areas of these parents lives.
I have never walked in their shoes and I know not what they feel nor is it my right to pry and
neither is it the publics right.
My prayers are they follow their hearts and my hope is that they can find peace eventually and that each day as time passes they draw on those moments when he was with them making them laugh and making them proud of him.
As a parent and a grandparent I wish to send my condolences to these parents.