Metro Atlanta high school football player dies after medical emergency

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - A Forsyth County football player died after losing brain function from a medical emergency, according to a friend of the family.

Finley Kruchten, a football player at Denmark High School, faced a “life-threatening emergency” at the school on Oct. 1, according to a GoFundMe set up for him.

A senior offensive and defensive line player, Kruchten was taken to two different hospitals after he went into cardiac arrest from a massive pulmonary embolism.

“Finley, who we love so dearly, has passed as a result of a total loss of brain function,” Lindsay French, a family friend, said in a statement.

French said Kruchten’s organs will be donated, “offering the gift of continued life to others.”

Krutchen’s father called his son’s death “needless” and wants to encourage more people to become organ donors.

“While a miracle was not granted for Finley, we hope that his organs will be a miracle for many,” French said.

Sharon Springs Youth Football and Cheerleading took to Facebook to post a heartfelt message about Kruchten, a former football player for the program’s Falcons team.

“Please keep Finley and his family in your thoughts and prayers and we will be asking for a moment of silence in each of the GFA games played this upcoming Saturday to honor Finley,” Brian Shadix, Sharon Springs Football and Cheerleading president, said in the Facebook post.