After discovering Barber’s condition, coaches immediately contacted EMS at 7:19 p.m. and performed CPR on Barber before he was transported to the Meigs Emergency Department, where he passed away.
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The Eastern Eagles Facebook page is filled with condolences for the Wyatt Barber family, the Meigs County youth football team – Eastern Little Eagles – and the community.
Wyatt Barber played for the Big Bend Youth Football League in Pomeroy.
The young football player from the Ohio River community of Reedsville, collapsed at the end of practice on Monday and was taken to the Meigs Emergency Room where he later died.
Eastern Local School District Superintendent Scot Gheen said the boy was a third-grader with the district.
The Meigs County Sheriff’s Office is investigating Barber’s death, which is standard procedure in any unexpected death, according to The Columbus Dispatch.
The boy was participating in the Big Bend Youth Football League practice at the school.
An exact cause of death is pending.
A GoFundMe account has been set up to help the family, organized by a self-described “Football Mom” at Eastern Local School. More than $5,000 was raised in the span of 12 hours. “Wyatt was small but mighty and always smiling! Fly High Little buddy, WE LOVE YOU”.
‘He was our smallest Eagle on the sidelines on a Friday Night with our Varsity Eagles!
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Tuesday, the flags outside Eastern Elementary, where Barber was in the 3rd grade, were hanging at half staff. School leaders brought in extra grief counselors as teachers, students and staff try to make sense of this tragedy. Our #56 will forever be missed!
