BUCYRUS, OH (WCMH) – The 16-year-old Bucyrus junior who was severely injured in a freak accident on the basketball court has died.
The accident happened February 27. Noah Lear was playing basketball with a couple friends at a local church when the post snapped in half and the backboard and hoop came crashing into his face.
Noah was conscious and able to call his mom before he was taken to the hospital. At the hospital he went into cardiac arrest and oxygen was cut off to his brain. He was rushed to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma, but he never regained consciousness and was moved to hospice facility.
Noah’s mother, Melissa Griffin tells NBC4 that he passed away around 1:30 Wednesday morning at a hospice facility in Ashland.
“Everything was looking so good and we were so positive,” she said. “We though, you know, we’re gonna have Noah back. We don’t know if it’s the same Noah, but he’ll be here with us. But then, he just never came back.”
He was surrounded by family and mementos from those he loved.
Classmate Bailey Plumley said the past few weeks have been “surreal.”
“No one will ever forget this. This is just one of those things that will stick with you,” he said.
“So many people loved him.”
Bucyrus City Schools released this statement:
The Board of Education, administration, staff and students of the Bucyrus City
School District were saddened to learn of the passing of junior Noah Lear during the early morning hours
Wednesday, March 16.
“The loss of life is never easy, and it’s even more difficult when it’s a child,” Superintendent Kevin Kimmel said. “As the father of three children, my heart goes out to Noah’s family.”
The school district informed students at the Secondary School prior to classes beginning March 16. The
Crawford County Trauma Team has been in the district since Monday, March 14, to provide grief counseling to students and staff.
“This is an incredibly challenging time for our students and staff,” Secondary School Principal Mark Burke said. “The Bucyrus City School District is a family, and we will do whatever is necessary to help each student and staff member deal with losing a classmate, student and friend. Noah and his family are in our thoughts and prayers.”
According to the school district, it will be closed Monday for Noah’s funeral. Below are the arrangements:
Calling hours will be from 1:00-5:00pm in the Alex Kish Memorial Gymnasium Sunday, March 20. The funeral will begin at 11:00am in the gymnasium on Monday, March 21.
A fundraiser is planned to help the family with the unexpected expenses. It’s Saturday, April 2nd at Bucyrus High School starting at 4 p.m. There’s a silent auction, bake sale, spaghetti dinner and a 50/50 drawing. Call Sonya Young at 419-617-6939 or Leann Quaintance at 419-569-5642 for more information.
Donations for the family can be mailed to:
Munz-Pirnstill Funeral Home
215 N Walnut St.
Bucyrus, Ohio 44820
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