Football: Former Bishop Amat and Pasadena player Austin Lacy dies

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Friends and classmates of former La Puente Bishop Amat and Pasadena High football player Austin Lacy are in mourning.

An announcement was made to students over the public-address system at Pasadena on Friday morning, informing them of death of the 18-year-old student. Pasadena Principal Gilbert Barraza said the announcement was made after he received confirmation from Lacy’s mother. Barraza said Lacy had been in Maryland seeing a specialist in connection with an illness.

Lacy played football for Pasadena last fall after transferring from Bishop Amat. He was attending the CIS Academy on the Pasadena High campus for several months, trying to gain enough credits to graduate after missing school because of his illness.

In March 2010, Lacy’s heart stopped for nearly four minutes as he was undergoing a procedure to drain fluid from his chest because of a rare ECHO virus. He was able to recover and return to the football field last fall at Bishop Amat before transferring to Pasadena.

Grief counselors were at Pasadena to help students, Barraza said.

‘I offered our condolences, sympathies and prayers,’ Barraza said after speaking to Lacy’s mother. ‘Our school is grieving.’

-- Eric Sondheimer