The sudden death of a Maryland high school student-athlete has been linked to heart disease, local authorities reported. Leslie Noble, a 16-year-old junior at Franklin High School, tragically collapsed during an August football practice and later died. Medical experts from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was cardiomegaly with biventricular hypertrophy—a condition involving an enlarged heart, CBS News Baltimore reported.

In a poignant recount of the events, Baltimore County Emergency Medical Services responded to the call around 9:15 a.m. on August 18, encountering Noble in critical condition. Despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The loss resonated throughout a school community where Noble was not just another student but a respected varsity athlete since his freshman year, according to WBALTV.

As Franklin High School reels from the loss, staff member Sharon Johnson relayed the immediate emotional impact, saying, "I didn't even know it was Leslie until later when the principal came around and everybody was all upset and emotional and crying and everything," in an interview cited by CBS News Baltimore. The final medical ruling categorized Noble's demise as 'natural,' putting some rest to questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

A school staff member reflected on Noble's legacy, expressing hope that "other kids look to him and see that it's okay to be who you are and to be proud of it because I don't think there's a person here who isn't proud of Leslie." This statement, shared during a moment of memorial and remembrance, underlines the deep respect and admiration Noble commanded among his peers and mentors alike, as reported by CBS News Baltimore.