ND Recruit Matt James Falls, Dies on Spring Break

Submitted by Irish on

http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/89811577.html

It happened about 6:25 at the Days Inn on Front Beach Road. Panama City Beach police say the 17 year old is from Cincinnati, Ohio. The teen fell from a third floor balcony of the Days Inn motel on Front Breach Road at Clara Ave.details of the fall are still coming in. He died almost instantly. Check back for more details as soon as they become available. .

Police have not released the identity of the victim until his relatives are notified.

Just within the past week a Georgia spring breaker died in a five story fall from a balcony at the Tropical Breeze motel, just about a mile from The Days Inn where tonight's mishap occured.

Panama City Beach police are continuing to investigate details surrounding the tragedy

The person in question is very likely Matt James, an OT from the last recruiting cycle. Tragic news, thoughts and prayers to his family.

EDIT: its been confirmed

MWW6T7

April 2nd, 2010 at 10:20 PM ^

That is a horrible accident and my thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. There is NOTHING worse than a young individual passing away before they have had a chance to experience life.

4godkingandwol…

April 2nd, 2010 at 10:23 PM ^

... but the whole concept of spring break for high school kids is just bizarre to me. The fact that adults condone this event (and the activities that everybody knows occur during this time), is kind of amoral. All to keep their tourism economy strong.

Hopefully alcohol wasn't involved. Anyway, this sucks.

Wendyk5

April 2nd, 2010 at 10:30 PM ^

I had a cousin who was running down a hallway in college, playing football, and the elevator door at the end of the hall was open - but no elevator - and he fell down the elevator shaft and died. This was 30 years ago, but I bet his parents still haven't gotten over it.

Blazefire

April 2nd, 2010 at 10:30 PM ^

are the cases where you look for a reason, but they're so hard to find.

I suffer a pretty nasty genetic disease that was spontaneous in me rather than passed down. It sucks, bad, but without it, I probably would not have met and married the most awesome woman in the world. In a young man's death, reason is that much harder to find. It may, in fact, be so hard, that it's downright impossible. But you have to look for the silver lining wherever it can be found. He was at a truly happy point in his life. Success stretched before him. If I have to go, I hope I go happy, and expecting future happiness.

My heart goes out to his family. I'll pray for them.

BiSB

April 2nd, 2010 at 11:05 PM ^

Our condolences to his friends, and to the entire James family. What an absolute shame. He'll be in our thoughts and prayers.

Damn.

bouje

April 2nd, 2010 at 11:18 PM ^

And my condolences go out to the family and the community in this most difficult time; I honestly cannot think of a way that alcohol was not involved in this.

And if there wasn't and the railing just gave, then this is another reason why I try to stay the hell away from balconies. They give me the willies.

hausoian

April 2nd, 2010 at 11:19 PM ^

I played with Matt James at St. Xavier in Cincinnati, OH. I have a special connection with him specifically since he and I played the same position of Right Tackle when I was a senior and he was a sophomore. We split time playing and over the season we grew to develop a special bond. He truly was a special player for his size and athleticism, but it was his attitude and quiet confidence that enabled him to achieve so much. I am proud of the fact that I got to play with him and share a position on the field with him.

My thoughts definitely go out to the James family. Knowing Matt and his brother Romey personally, they are a first-class family in the Cincinnati community. I cannot even imagine the pain that the James family is going through at this point.

Matt James deserved everything he earned. I know people typically hype up people once they are gone, but in this case Matt James really was special Sports aside, it hurts just to see a young man with his vast potential get cut short in his prime. I am still waiting to hear that this is just a bad joke.

I am student at UofM but I will hopefully be making the trek back to Cincy to pay my respects. Hopefully a few teammates from the 2007 team will organize something. Otherwise I am at a loss for words.

AKMuskie

April 2nd, 2010 at 11:42 PM ^

Sad news. I know some kids who attended his high school. Many heartfelt condolensces to the family and anybody else personally affected by his passing.

Tater

April 3rd, 2010 at 12:26 AM ^

It's times like this that remind us that football is still just a game and that "rivals" are still fellow human beings. It is, indeed, a sad day.

tn wolverine

April 3rd, 2010 at 12:33 AM ^

Horrible news, we had a young man (Jake Logue) at the local high school here in Kingsport, Tennessee (Sullivan South the same school Wisconsin backup QB Curt Phillips attended) who Died on the field during the first game. He had a heart defect and just went limp on a play and never got up. The community and all his classmates are still grieving. I'll be praying for the James family and the whole community.

PurpleStuff

April 3rd, 2010 at 2:45 AM ^

Saw this news on another site and figured I'd throw my irrelevant two-cents in here. For some reason these kinds of things occurring right before a kid leaves for a great opportunity in college always hit me hard. Reminds me of kids at my other alma mater (USC) Drean Rucker and Mario Danelo who lost their lives in similar tragic accidents. It saddens me that it some times takes events like this to put life and college athletics in perspective (I've been talking like a jackass all week about how "depressed" I am about the hockey game last Sunday).

I pray the James family can find some peace and comfort during this awful time.

amphibious1

April 3rd, 2010 at 6:20 AM ^

I live in Florida, fairly close to Panama City. It seems like something like this happens every year during spring break (albeit usually alcohol related). I wish his family well through this tragedy.

UMICH1606

April 3rd, 2010 at 7:06 AM ^

God Bless Matt James, his family, and his friends during this tragic, tragic, ending of a young man's life. By all accounts he seemed to be a great kid too. So sad.

bluebloodedfan

April 3rd, 2010 at 9:29 AM ^

No words can comfort the loved ones at times like these. Just time and prayer. My sincere condolences to the family and friends of this young man. I hope and pray that your healing come soon and that his memory doesn't sting with pain but bring joy and smiles to all who knew him.

pz

April 3rd, 2010 at 10:14 AM ^

He went to my high school and we are of course connected through the community.

The entire school and community are mourning this. Just awful.

Magnus

April 3rd, 2010 at 11:24 AM ^

It's sad that an article that says "The police are not releasing the victim's identity until relatives have been notified" then goes on to say "By the way, it's Matt James."

I don't care if a bunch of people call the station and say who it was. The family of the victims should be told through proper channels - police, family members, etc. - rather than internet/television news reports.

Anyway, what a horrible event. That's obviously every parent's worst nightmare when their kids go on spring break. Sad.

mrider

April 3rd, 2010 at 1:59 PM ^

Just another reason why Spring Break should be postponed until the end of university. I am not assuming that alcohol was a factor, but I would assume some shenanigans were going on that led to this tragic event. It's terrible, especially when you find out the kid is still not even 18 years old, just terrible.

Geaux_Blue

April 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^

hopefully saves lives through his own tragedy

"Witnesses and friends indicate he had become drunk and belligerent," Humphreys said. "He had leaned over the balcony rail, was shaking his finger at the people in the next room over. He fell over."

Humphreys said the railing at the hotel met the standards for proper height. He said police would be interested in pursuing charges if it was learned who provided the underage teen with alcohol.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5053059

pdgoblue25

April 4th, 2010 at 7:42 AM ^

My prayers go out to Matt's friends and family. This is truly awful. I couldn't help but think unfortunately that when I was 17, if I asked my parents to go to Panama City of all places for SB, they would still be laughing at me to this day. While I hate to speculate before the facts are released, the parents deserve some of the blame here, he obviously wasn't going to Panama City to drink Sprite. 17 years old, this is just terrible.