Jerry Mays was only some 300 meters from earning his first medal this track season, when his race and life ended. The 10 year-old Iowa Park sophomore died, apparently instantly, as he began the eighth and final lap of the 3200 meter run Saturday morning at Holliday. And his death shocked the school campus as well as the entire community of Iowa Park. Services were appropriately held Tuesday afternoon in the auditorium of Iowa Park High School, with Rev.
Larry Washburn, pastor of the Pacific Avenue Baptist Church, officiating.
Seated as a group at the services were his team mates, each wearing his football game jersey in Jerry's honor. The auditorium was almost filled to capacity and the stage was adorned with dozens of floral arrangements. His track coach, Barry Lucy, gave his eulogy. Burial was in Highland Cemetery under arrangements of Tanner Aulds Funeral Home.
His pallbearers were classmates Jeff Tucker, Craig Conners, Sam Bandee, Monty Castro, Mike Kent and Derrick Thyer.
Gerald “Jerry" Mays was born July 26, 1968, in Panama City, Fla. He was a member of the junior varsity football team, junior varsity track learn and the Future Farmers of America.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Mays of Iowa Park; two brothers, Ronald Mays of Iowa Park and Edgar Vaughn of Xenia, Ohio; two sisters, Cynthia Young of Wichita Falls and Karen Grooms of Dayton. Ohio; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Adams of Fort
Worth, Edna Dawson of Fairborn, Ohio, and Dallas Jenkins of Hampton, Va.
Competing in the junior varsity division of Holliday’s meet. Mays was in third place and was on the first curve of the last lap when observers said he slowed, stumbled and fell to the running surface. It was about 11:30 a.m. Holliday coaches Matt Robinson, Jake Cottrell and Don Lucy were the first to the athlete's side. Cottrell and a coach from Childress began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. “I could tell that something was very wrong just by looking at him," said Cottrell. “ I couldn’t get a pulse or heart beat from him, although the CPR seemed to revive him at times before the ambulance arrived." Holliday physician Dr. Ed Thornton was summoned from his home and accompanied the youth to Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls.
Iowa Park's Coach Lucy said he was at the high jump pit when the incident occurred. His first impression was that Mays had suffered cramps, but when it was evident that was not the case, rushed to the scene. None of Iowa Park's athletes was aware of Mays’ condition until after lunch, when Athletic Director David Baugh went to Holliday from the hospital. He gathered the group together and informed them of the sad news, shortly after the meet finals had begun.
According to Dr. Thornton, after a preliminary autopsy was completed, Mays suffered from a rare heart condition that was not discovered last summer when he was administered a required physical examination by a Sheppard AFB physician. The disease, known as idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, enlarges the heart. “His left ventricle was 25 to 30 percent larger than normal. Only one in 200 deaths are from sudden cardiac collapse," Dr. Thornton stated. “You never think something like this is going to happen. It was quite a shock. It was a good meet up to that point, and you could tell there was a definite difference in the attitudes of the athletes after it happened," said Robinson. Holliday's Coach Lucy, father of Iowa Park Coach Lucy, said, "You wonder if there isn't something you could have done to prevent this from happening. But there is really not a lot you can do. It's terrible for something like this to happen." Barry Lucy said Mays had been working hard all year, and was fast improving and gaining confidence to the point he was going to move him to the varsity for the district meet this weekend. He had run the mile and two-mile event in five meets this season, but had not finished among the top three for a medal. His training had included running some 20 miles each week since January.
The Monday prior to the meet he had run an eight-mile course, Lucy said. In all the training and competition this spring. Mays had never complained about having any problems, according to Lucy. Last fall, Mays played linebacker, fullback and some offensive end on the junior varsity football team. He was a hard working, devoted young athlete who wanted to succeed, improve and contribute to his team’s success.
Taken from the Iowa Park Leader dated: 04/18/1985
Larry Washburn, pastor of the Pacific Avenue Baptist Church, officiating.
Seated as a group at the services were his team mates, each wearing his football game jersey in Jerry's honor. The auditorium was almost filled to capacity and the stage was adorned with dozens of floral arrangements. His track coach, Barry Lucy, gave his eulogy. Burial was in Highland Cemetery under arrangements of Tanner Aulds Funeral Home.
His pallbearers were classmates Jeff Tucker, Craig Conners, Sam Bandee, Monty Castro, Mike Kent and Derrick Thyer.
Gerald “Jerry" Mays was born July 26, 1968, in Panama City, Fla. He was a member of the junior varsity football team, junior varsity track learn and the Future Farmers of America.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Mays of Iowa Park; two brothers, Ronald Mays of Iowa Park and Edgar Vaughn of Xenia, Ohio; two sisters, Cynthia Young of Wichita Falls and Karen Grooms of Dayton. Ohio; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Adams of Fort
Worth, Edna Dawson of Fairborn, Ohio, and Dallas Jenkins of Hampton, Va.
Competing in the junior varsity division of Holliday’s meet. Mays was in third place and was on the first curve of the last lap when observers said he slowed, stumbled and fell to the running surface. It was about 11:30 a.m. Holliday coaches Matt Robinson, Jake Cottrell and Don Lucy were the first to the athlete's side. Cottrell and a coach from Childress began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. “I could tell that something was very wrong just by looking at him," said Cottrell. “ I couldn’t get a pulse or heart beat from him, although the CPR seemed to revive him at times before the ambulance arrived." Holliday physician Dr. Ed Thornton was summoned from his home and accompanied the youth to Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls.
Iowa Park's Coach Lucy said he was at the high jump pit when the incident occurred. His first impression was that Mays had suffered cramps, but when it was evident that was not the case, rushed to the scene. None of Iowa Park's athletes was aware of Mays’ condition until after lunch, when Athletic Director David Baugh went to Holliday from the hospital. He gathered the group together and informed them of the sad news, shortly after the meet finals had begun.
According to Dr. Thornton, after a preliminary autopsy was completed, Mays suffered from a rare heart condition that was not discovered last summer when he was administered a required physical examination by a Sheppard AFB physician. The disease, known as idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, enlarges the heart. “His left ventricle was 25 to 30 percent larger than normal. Only one in 200 deaths are from sudden cardiac collapse," Dr. Thornton stated. “You never think something like this is going to happen. It was quite a shock. It was a good meet up to that point, and you could tell there was a definite difference in the attitudes of the athletes after it happened," said Robinson. Holliday's Coach Lucy, father of Iowa Park Coach Lucy, said, "You wonder if there isn't something you could have done to prevent this from happening. But there is really not a lot you can do. It's terrible for something like this to happen." Barry Lucy said Mays had been working hard all year, and was fast improving and gaining confidence to the point he was going to move him to the varsity for the district meet this weekend. He had run the mile and two-mile event in five meets this season, but had not finished among the top three for a medal. His training had included running some 20 miles each week since January.
The Monday prior to the meet he had run an eight-mile course, Lucy said. In all the training and competition this spring. Mays had never complained about having any problems, according to Lucy. Last fall, Mays played linebacker, fullback and some offensive end on the junior varsity football team. He was a hard working, devoted young athlete who wanted to succeed, improve and contribute to his team’s success.
Taken from the Iowa Park Leader dated: 04/18/1985
Jerry Mays was only some 300 meters from earning his first medal this track season, when his race and life ended. The 10 year-old Iowa Park sophomore died, apparently instantly, as he began the eighth and final lap of the 3200 meter run Saturday morning at Holliday. And his death shocked the school campus as well as the entire community of Iowa Park. Services were appropriately held Tuesday afternoon in the auditorium of Iowa Park High School, with Rev.
Larry Washburn, pastor of the Pacific Avenue Baptist Church, officiating.
Seated as a group at the services were his team mates, each wearing his football game jersey in Jerry's honor. The auditorium was almost filled to capacity and the stage was adorned with dozens of floral arrangements. His track coach, Barry Lucy, gave his eulogy. Burial was in Highland Cemetery under arrangements of Tanner Aulds Funeral Home.
His pallbearers were classmates Jeff Tucker, Craig Conners, Sam Bandee, Monty Castro, Mike Kent and Derrick Thyer.
Gerald “Jerry" Mays was born July 26, 1968, in Panama City, Fla. He was a member of the junior varsity football team, junior varsity track learn and the Future Farmers of America.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Mays of Iowa Park; two brothers, Ronald Mays of Iowa Park and Edgar Vaughn of Xenia, Ohio; two sisters, Cynthia Young of Wichita Falls and Karen Grooms of Dayton. Ohio; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Adams of Fort
Worth, Edna Dawson of Fairborn, Ohio, and Dallas Jenkins of Hampton, Va.
Competing in the junior varsity division of Holliday’s meet. Mays was in third place and was on the first curve of the last lap when observers said he slowed, stumbled and fell to the running surface. It was about 11:30 a.m. Holliday coaches Matt Robinson, Jake Cottrell and Don Lucy were the first to the athlete's side. Cottrell and a coach from Childress began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. “I could tell that something was very wrong just by looking at him," said Cottrell. “ I couldn’t get a pulse or heart beat from him, although the CPR seemed to revive him at times before the ambulance arrived." Holliday physician Dr. Ed Thornton was summoned from his home and accompanied the youth to Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls.
Iowa Park's Coach Lucy said he was at the high jump pit when the incident occurred. His first impression was that Mays had suffered cramps, but when it was evident that was not the case, rushed to the scene. None of Iowa Park's athletes was aware of Mays’ condition until after lunch, when Athletic Director David Baugh went to Holliday from the hospital. He gathered the group together and informed them of the sad news, shortly after the meet finals had begun.
According to Dr. Thornton, after a preliminary autopsy was completed, Mays suffered from a rare heart condition that was not discovered last summer when he was administered a required physical examination by a Sheppard AFB physician. The disease, known as idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, enlarges the heart. “His left ventricle was 25 to 30 percent larger than normal. Only one in 200 deaths are from sudden cardiac collapse," Dr. Thornton stated. “You never think something like this is going to happen. It was quite a shock. It was a good meet up to that point, and you could tell there was a definite difference in the attitudes of the athletes after it happened," said Robinson. Holliday's Coach Lucy, father of Iowa Park Coach Lucy, said, "You wonder if there isn't something you could have done to prevent this from happening. But there is really not a lot you can do. It's terrible for something like this to happen." Barry Lucy said Mays had been working hard all year, and was fast improving and gaining confidence to the point he was going to move him to the varsity for the district meet this weekend. He had run the mile and two-mile event in five meets this season, but had not finished among the top three for a medal. His training had included running some 20 miles each week since January.
The Monday prior to the meet he had run an eight-mile course, Lucy said. In all the training and competition this spring. Mays had never complained about having any problems, according to Lucy. Last fall, Mays played linebacker, fullback and some offensive end on the junior varsity football team. He was a hard working, devoted young athlete who wanted to succeed, improve and contribute to his team’s success.
Taken from the Iowa Park Leader dated: 04/18/1985
Larry Washburn, pastor of the Pacific Avenue Baptist Church, officiating.
Seated as a group at the services were his team mates, each wearing his football game jersey in Jerry's honor. The auditorium was almost filled to capacity and the stage was adorned with dozens of floral arrangements. His track coach, Barry Lucy, gave his eulogy. Burial was in Highland Cemetery under arrangements of Tanner Aulds Funeral Home.
His pallbearers were classmates Jeff Tucker, Craig Conners, Sam Bandee, Monty Castro, Mike Kent and Derrick Thyer.
Gerald “Jerry" Mays was born July 26, 1968, in Panama City, Fla. He was a member of the junior varsity football team, junior varsity track learn and the Future Farmers of America.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Mays of Iowa Park; two brothers, Ronald Mays of Iowa Park and Edgar Vaughn of Xenia, Ohio; two sisters, Cynthia Young of Wichita Falls and Karen Grooms of Dayton. Ohio; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Adams of Fort
Worth, Edna Dawson of Fairborn, Ohio, and Dallas Jenkins of Hampton, Va.
Competing in the junior varsity division of Holliday’s meet. Mays was in third place and was on the first curve of the last lap when observers said he slowed, stumbled and fell to the running surface. It was about 11:30 a.m. Holliday coaches Matt Robinson, Jake Cottrell and Don Lucy were the first to the athlete's side. Cottrell and a coach from Childress began administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation. “I could tell that something was very wrong just by looking at him," said Cottrell. “ I couldn’t get a pulse or heart beat from him, although the CPR seemed to revive him at times before the ambulance arrived." Holliday physician Dr. Ed Thornton was summoned from his home and accompanied the youth to Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls.
Iowa Park's Coach Lucy said he was at the high jump pit when the incident occurred. His first impression was that Mays had suffered cramps, but when it was evident that was not the case, rushed to the scene. None of Iowa Park's athletes was aware of Mays’ condition until after lunch, when Athletic Director David Baugh went to Holliday from the hospital. He gathered the group together and informed them of the sad news, shortly after the meet finals had begun.
According to Dr. Thornton, after a preliminary autopsy was completed, Mays suffered from a rare heart condition that was not discovered last summer when he was administered a required physical examination by a Sheppard AFB physician. The disease, known as idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, enlarges the heart. “His left ventricle was 25 to 30 percent larger than normal. Only one in 200 deaths are from sudden cardiac collapse," Dr. Thornton stated. “You never think something like this is going to happen. It was quite a shock. It was a good meet up to that point, and you could tell there was a definite difference in the attitudes of the athletes after it happened," said Robinson. Holliday's Coach Lucy, father of Iowa Park Coach Lucy, said, "You wonder if there isn't something you could have done to prevent this from happening. But there is really not a lot you can do. It's terrible for something like this to happen." Barry Lucy said Mays had been working hard all year, and was fast improving and gaining confidence to the point he was going to move him to the varsity for the district meet this weekend. He had run the mile and two-mile event in five meets this season, but had not finished among the top three for a medal. His training had included running some 20 miles each week since January.
The Monday prior to the meet he had run an eight-mile course, Lucy said. In all the training and competition this spring. Mays had never complained about having any problems, according to Lucy. Last fall, Mays played linebacker, fullback and some offensive end on the junior varsity football team. He was a hard working, devoted young athlete who wanted to succeed, improve and contribute to his team’s success.
Taken from the Iowa Park Leader dated: 04/18/1985
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