sad sad story

[cbr929]

Tweetseen this on AM

O.C. Boy Is Killed by 185-Pound Barbell
Relatives find the 12-year-old pinned under the equipment, his air supply cut off.

By Susana Enriquez, Times Staff Writer


Elijah Brown wanted to be a pro football player, so the 12-year-old would lift weights every so often to bulk up his 5-foot-3, 130-pound body.

On Thursday, after playing catch with his grandfather and uncle, Elijah went into the garage of his Huntington Beach home to lift about 5 p.m. When the men checked on him 10 minutes later, they found Elijah with a 185-pound barbell pinning him to the bench, police said.

The men lifted the weight from the boy and performed CPR until paramedics came, but Elijah died at Huntington Beach Hospital at 5:41 p.m. The barbell had cut off his air supply, the coroner said.

"This wasn't supposed to happen to him," said Thomas Brown, Elijah's father, his eyes welling up with tears as he stood outside a neighbor's house. "He had a really bright future ahead of him."

Brown, who said he allowed Elijah to lift weights periodically, said his son mostly used dumbbells or the 45-pound barbell, without adding weight to it.

The Smith Machine that Elijah used has a mechanism that keeps the bar balanced between two metal poles with a safety latch that can be engaged at different heights.

"He knew how to do it by himself," Brown said, adding that he had stressed the importance of having a spotter in case he couldn't handle the weight. "It was a freak accident."

The father, 32, described Elijah as a fun-loving boy and straight-A student who was active in sports and at church.

He had studied karate since he was 3 and earned his brown belt a couple of months ago, he said.

Elijah had also played football with the Huntington Beach Dolphins, an Orange County junior all-American football team, since the age of 6, Brown said.

"His dream was to go on to play professional football and play for the Denver Broncos," Brown said.

Elijah wore the number 33 on his football jersey, the number of his favorite player, retired Bronco running back Terrell Davis.

"There's no one he wanted to be more like than his father and Terrell Davis," said Dallas Kruse, the family's pastor, who was also Elijah's private running coach.

The seventh-grader at Bethany Christian Academy in Westminster had just received an award Tuesday for excellence in math, his father said.

Elijah also enjoyed fishing, snowboarding and playing his keyboard and drums.

On Friday, family and friends gathered at the Browns' single-story house at the end of a cul-de-sac. They prayed and kept a vigil, Kruse said.

"Elijah was just an amazing child," he said, adding that he hoped the accident would teach other kids to be careful with weights.

Elijah is also survived by his mother, Lisanne, 38, 7-year-old sister and 21-year-old stepsister.

[FUZO]

TweetTHATS SO SAD

[cbr929]

TweetI would like to know why they would let him lift unsupervised anyway?

[46and2aheadofme]

Tweetdamn. 185 (well almost) at 12yo? that kid was on his way! RIP, way too early man, way too early.

[cbr929]

Tweetyeah he was going to be a monster

[Starr]

TweetVery tragic story. For those of you that also have young children and weight equipment at home, may this serve as a reminder to keep a close eye on your little ones and warn them of the dangers that the equipment can pose.

[bowbow]

TweetVery sad

[NATE]

Tweetwhen i pull my heart out of my stomach i'll reply with something of substance...as of now i feel ill.

[supasaiyan99]

TweetVery sad. I never thought this could happen to someone. Usually you tear a muscle or break a bone from lifting, you just never expect to die doing something you enjoy!

[cbr929]

Tweethe never had a chance on the smith machine you can't tip the bar to let the weight slide off

[Evil Ryu]

TweetThats sad. I think the issue here was inexperience and lack of supervision.

[angryoldman]

Tweet

seen this on AM

his air supply cut off.

So let me get this straight: His parents prevented him from listening to his "Air Supply" CD's, so he went to pump iron and this accident happened? The accident is a horrible tradgedy, no dout. But a 12 year old kid having "Air Supply" CD's is even worse.
Sorry, just trying to make light of a horrible situation.