Absolutely heartbreaking.
According to the Winston-Salem Journal, a 14-year-old boy died in a rodeo on Saturday night in King, North Carolina.
The rodeo was hosted by Rafter K Rodeo Co. at the American Legion Post 290 in King, and the boy was identified as Denim Bradshaw.
Stokes County emergency management director Brandon Gentry said he was called to the scene at about 8:42 PM on a report of cardiac arrest.
He told the outlet:
“He was one of the participants when this happened. He was riding a bull and was thrown off.”
The reportedly stepped on Denim’s chest and he suffered a cardiac arrest.
Rafter K contracts members of the King Fire Department to be at the events incase of emergency, and they were the first to come to the aid of Bradshaw before Stokes County EMS arrived.
Gentry said that the boy was lying in the rodeo ring, and was not conscious when they arrived.
Bradshaw was then transferred to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, where he later died.
His mother, Shannon Bowman, shared in a Facebook post:
“Last night was the longest night of my life!! My beautiful handsome 14 year old son had went to be with the Lord! I awoke in a nightmare for the rest of my life!
I hate myself for this call but he was loving every second of it I never seen him so happy as I had seen him last night before his departure.
Denim baby you did it! You did that! I’m so proud of your braveness and your courage! My lil cowboy I will love and miss you so much and I know God will take care of you.
For the sake of your bull riding friends there really should be EMT on site in this sport, that ride was a little to long.
This is hard for me to say right now but I need to do. Thank you to everyone for your prayers and your blessings. My daughter (bless her heart) has handled all the donations found him a funeral home an a horrible but beautiful red casket that I’m almost sure he would have picked himself if he had to.
It’s all because of y’all and your support for making this all possible for my baby and this means so much to me! Thank you I know that will never be enough to say but I mean it with all my heart!”
The rodeo shared their condolences as well, however claimed they do have on-site EMT services.
A GoFund Me has been established to raise money for funeral costs.
As of right now, the fund has raised $13,338 of their $15,000 goal.
“We are all devastated by Denim’s tragic and unexpected loss, and were not prepared for the high cost of a funeral service. We want to give Denim the memorial he deserves, to honor his memory, and say our last goodbyes.
We are trying to take comfort in knowing that he passed doing something he loved, surrounded by friends and family.”
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Denim’s family during this difficult time.
