Teen softball player Dana Housley dies after suffering brain aneurysm
An Etiwanda High freshman who suffered a brain aneurysm during a softball game over the weekend died on Wednesday at age 15.
The parents of Dana Housley, a star first baseman for the California Thunder travel softball team, posted this statement online Wednesday night:
"Tonight our beautiful Dana chose to go with the Lord. We don't yet understand his plan for her, but she will make a perfect angel.
"The tremendous national and international outpouring of love and support for our daughter and our family during this devastating ordeal is appreciated beyond words.
"Although the journey ahead for our family will be unimaginably painful, we now understand we have a family of thousands in the softball community to help us through. We will feel pain and emptiness at the loss of our baby girl, but we won't have to feel it alone.
"As we begin the healing process, we thank you all. We will not forget your love, prayers, and support, nor will we ever forget the wonderful memories of our little girl, Dana Housley #21.
Housley was placed on life support after collapsing Saturday while playing for the Thunder in a tournament at Veterans Park in Fontana.
"She walked over to Coach and said, 'I'm dizzy,' and just collapsed in his hands. [He] laid her down and called the ambulance," Thunder teammate Savannah Tourville told ABC-7. "It was crazy."
Since then Housley and her family have received an outpouring of support from the softball community and beyond. A GoFundMe account set up three days ago to help the family financially has already raised more than $63,000, well surpassing the initial goal of $25,000.
On social media, her teammates started the hashtag #PrayforDana for folks to show their support, and softball players have been using the hashtag #IplayforDana to dedicate this summer's games to Housley.
"She was spectacular, just a great kid, she never had an off day and I don't mean on the softball field," Thunder Coach Angelo Michaels said. "She just always had a smile, always gave 110% and was a great teammate."
We came together to #PrayForDana #danasmiracle. #CalThunder team is family. We love you! #21DanaHousley pic.twitter.com/bmVohqLtPL
— California Thunder (@CalThunder) May 24, 2015I didn't know you baby girl but we are forever softball sisters ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ forever in our hearts¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ #IPlayForDana pic.twitter.com/5hc9UxxHbL
— jesuska (@jessikatru21) May 28, 2015Today the Lord received another angel. From here on out, I play for you ¿¿¿¿ #IPlayForDana #RIPDana pic.twitter.com/XMz259CDDO
— natalia (@_taliaaaah) May 28, 2015#IPlayForDana ¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ , I was once a cal thunder girl and I will play for her this summer . pic.twitter.com/BjQyR7sM88
— HARLEY (@harkkey) May 28, 2015RIP DANA HOUSLEY¿¿¿¿¿¿¿¿ The softball community will ALWAYS remember the love she had for the game. #PrayForDana pic.twitter.com/Dkp18wJDme
— Jessica Ujvari (@jessicaujvari) May 28, 2015San Dimas-Edgewood moment of silence for Etiwanda freshman softball player Dana Housley #prayfordana pic.twitter.com/2KlWdbtxSc
— Fred J. Robledo (@SGVNSports) May 26, 2015Go beyond the scoreboard
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