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A 15-year-old Illinois high school student died last week after a line drive struck him in the head during baseball practice.
Bentley Wolfe, a sophomore at Chrisman High School in eastern Illinois who played baseball for the Georgetown Buffaloes and basketball for the Chrisman Cardinals, was hit by a ball during practice on March 2, authorities said. The accident occurred in Chrisman, a small town in Edgar County near the Illinois-Indiana border.
After the incident, Bentley’s condition worsened, and he was taken the following day to OSF HealthCare St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, where he was listed in critical condition, according to the Peoria County Coroner’s Office.
“My life has shattered right before my eyes, I don't know how I'm writing this post. My Bentley our Bentley, is on life support and it's not looking good,” his mother, Samantha Simpson, wrote March 4 on Facebook.
Doctors later determined that Bentley, an organ donor, had suffered severe head injuries from the impact, and he was declared brain dead on Friday. An autopsy later confirmed he had died from blunt force trauma to the head, the coroner said.
On March 6, hundreds of friends, classmates, teachers, coaches, and neighbors gathered at Chrisman High School for a prayer vigil honoring Bentley, The Prairie Press reports.
Two days later, Chrisman High School and Junior High wrote on Facebook, “The outpouring of love for Bentley and his family has been overwhelming over the past few days. The Vermilion Valley Conference, as well as several surrounding schools, will be showing their support Monday by wearing red for Chrisman. The amount of support from other communities is so uplifting. “
Bentley was also active in the school’s FFA program, also known as Future Farmers of America, according to his obituary. Friends and family say he loved tractors, trucks and anything related to farming, and enjoyed riding four-wheelers, shooting guns and spending time with his friends and girlfriend.
“Bentley was always positive and bright light to every room he was in. His light will continue to shine as he provides the gift of life by being an organ donor,” Chrisman FFA wrote in a Facebook post.
Samantha Simpson annouced Sunday that Bentley’s heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and pancreas were successfully donated following his death.
“BENTLEY KAHNE WOLFE will FOREVER live on in others and in our hearts. His light will never go out. What a true HERO I get to call my son!” she wrote on Facebook.
