SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY -- The medical examiner's office is awaiting lab results to determine how a 17-year old Southampton County football player died, however, Brian Rushing's family says preliminary results show that he died of an unknown, pre-existing heart conditions.
They say Brian fell asleep early Saturday morning and never woke up.
On Friday night, he helped the Indians defeat Franklin High School 34 to 14. Rushing was a defensive lineman.
"The night before he passed, he did what he did best- he played a football game and by all accounts it was probably the best game he ever played," said Pastor Chuck Worth, True Word Christian Church.
Grief counselors were at Southampton High School on Monday where Rushing was a senior. The school handed out red and white ribbons for students to wear to help remember him.
His mother said that he loved his family and friends. She shared an essay he wrote as a class assignment titled, "What would I do with a million dollars."
In the essay, Rushing wrote that he would buy his mother a new house because she is tired of renting.
"I would buy her a house that she would love, a ranch style house with a big yard because she loves to garden and be outside. It would have a big wrap around porch with a swing on it, she just loves those."
He also wrote that he would use any leftover money to pay his way through school.
"I would pay for my degree in history, because my dream job is to become a history teacher. I want to be able to help kids like my 9th grade teacher helped me."
Donna Rushing also said Brian's father passed away a year ago this week.
Pastor Worth said that his church is organizing a memorial gathering for Brian this Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at True Word Christian Church, 3129 General Thomas Highway in Franklin.
Brian Rushing's funeral will be held at Southampton High School on Saturday.
A Facebook page has been set up in his memory.
