Caden Sorrell’s older sister has spoken out after the 13-year-old died following a sudden cardiac arrest at football practice.
Vanessa Clark was shopping at Walmart last Friday when her mother called with news that upended her life. Caden, a student at Northwest Guilford Middle School in Greensboro, N.C., had collapsed after running a single lap around the field at the start of practice. He died three days later at Cone Hospital on Sunday.
“He was a picture of health. We don’t know why [it happened] but it did,” Clark told WXII.
Caden, who has a twin brother and is one of five siblings, showed no warning signs before the incident. His family now faces both grief and medical uncertainty about whether an underlying genetic condition may have contributed to his death.
“Caden was an angel from heaven; he was brilliant, sweet, smart, kind; he made everybody around him feel loved,” Clark said.
Clark said she had been holding out hope for his recovery. “I was praying for him, and I hoped that he got better, that he was healed — which he was spiritually,” she continued. “I’m there for him, and I love him.”
A GoFundMe launched to help cover medical and funeral expenses is also funding medical evaluations for Caden’s siblings to screen for potential genetic conditions. The fundraiser reflects the family’s dual burden of immediate loss and lingering questions about hereditary risks.
Northwest Guilford Middle School principal CeCe Matson addressed the school community on social media following Caden’s death. “As we grieve this loss, let us lean on one another and extend compassion to those around us. A caring heart and gentle presence can mean so much right now,” she wrote. Matson also asked the community to keep Caden’s “family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.”
The school community will gather Wednesday night at Northwest Guilford High School for a vigil honoring Caden’s memory.
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