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Reports say Eraste Autin has no brain activity because of heat stroke.
By JOANNE KORTH
© St. Petersburg Times, published July 24, 2001
Shortly after collapsing with a severe case of heat stroke Thursday evening, Florida freshman football player Eraste Autin suffered a massive heart attack and fell into a coma at Shands at the University of Florida, Gainesville, his high school athletic director said.
Autin, 18, of Lafayette, La., remained in critical condition Monday.
"My understanding is he went into a coma (after the heart attack) and his condition hasn't changed," St. Thomas More High School athletic director Kim Broussard, a close friend of the family, told Florida Today.
Broussard said it took doctors 20 minutes to revive Autin, and Florida Today reported that early tests showed no brain activity.
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound fullback had completed a voluntary conditioning session at UF's practice field when he collapsed outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on his way to the locker room.
Autin's parents, Dr. David and Joanie Autin, and high school coach Jim Hightower rushed to Gainesville and have been at Autin's bedside, along with UF coach Steve Spurrier.
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Chad Tidwell said Autin "did not look coherent" as he came off the field. When Tidwell next saw Autin, he was on the ground.
"He was unconscious," Tidwell told the Orlando Sentinel. "This guy had some water, so we poured it on him. The police came and they called the ambulance. He didn't look like he was doing too good.
"I thought he would just come to it after a while when we were sitting there, but he didn't. He was just really dehydrated. His face was white.
"He is a big guy, and he was running really fast with the smaller linebackers, doing pretty good. He's a real hard worker. He always wants to be the first one done with everything."
Autin's body temperature was 108 degrees when he reached the hospital.
According to the Sentinel, Autin will undergo two significant tests today at Shands to monitor brain activity.
Freshman offensive lineman Lance Butler, Autin's roommate, was among many who visited Autin on Monday.
"He was looking a whole lot better to me," Butler said.
Autin, a high school All-American, rushed for nearly 700 yards with 12 touchdowns last season.
"He's just such a great kid and an outstanding person, someone the other students rallied around," Broussard said. "He's a bright kid who says funny things and makes people laugh. ... This is really the All-America kid."
Broussard said the Lafayette community is pulling together to show support for Autin and his family. Students at the Catholic school have conducted prayer meetings on campus, and Sunday night a special mass was held.
Many of Autin's new teammates were shocked when coaches told them Friday what had happened.
"It's just a freak accident," sophomore quarterback Brock Berlin said. "You never know when something like that's going to happen. I feel bad for his family, and, obviously, our prayers are with Eraste."
-- Information from correspondent Debi Jones and other news organizations was used in this report.