KSLA News 12 Shreveport, Louisiana |GSU sued over player's death

GSU sued over player's death

By Jeff Ferrell – bio|email

RUSTON, LA (KSLA) – An Ark-La-Tex family is calling for justice five months after the collapse and eventual death of a rising basketball star at Grambling State University. 

KSLA News 12 has confirmed with the clerk's office that White's family filed a one million dollar lawsuit against GSU in Caddo District Court, Friday (1/29) afternoon.  And that does not include the 300-thousand dollars in existing medical bills the family is stuck with.  The lawsuit calls for Grambling to pay those bills, as well.

Larry English, the family's attorney lamented, "Henry White died in one of the most excruciating deaths I've ever seen."  It was a nightmarish ending to such a promising career.  Henry White, the 21-year old 6-foot-6 junior had just transferred to Grambling in Ruston, Louisiana from Hill Junior College in Texas. 

But a punishing pre-season run of four-and-a-half miles, with a reported heat index above 100-degrees, ended when White collapsed, suffering from heat stroke.  English described, "he laid in the hospital for 12-days while his gut died." 

White's body functions began to shut down.  Doctors at LSU Hospital in Shreveport removed 70-percent of his intestines in a last-ditch effort to save his life.  "But when they went back and did surgery some ten days later the rest of his intestines had died," continued English.  Within days, Henry White was gone. 

English said of the case, "from a Louisiana and the NCAA regulations I mean it's a clear breech of duty.  I don't even think that's in debate in this case."  English went even further.  "This is one of the most egregious institutional failures I've ever seen since I've been practicing law." 

White's mother slowly watched her son slip away.  To add insult to injury, the school had no insurance coverage that would cover liability in the event anything happened to this promising athlete.  English concluded, "it is my hope that Grambling State University will do the right thing and not force Natalie Wood to have to engage in litigation.  I mean she's went through enough." 

KSLA News 12 is told that no one at Grambling State University  is cleared to speak about the lawsuit because it is pending litigation.  But you may remember, Grambling fired the head basketball coach and two assistants.

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