Bairon Candido Ramos Vicente, a Rome High School junior, died Sept. 18 after collapsing while playing soccer with friends and teammates.
ROME, Ga. — A 16-year-old Rome High School student and soccer player died after collapsing on a soccer field Sept. 18, prompting an outpouring of grief from his family, classmates and teammates as questions remain about what caused his sudden death.
Bairon Candido Ramos Vicente was an 11th-grade student who loved soccer and played for both the Rome High School soccer team and the Rome Soccer Premier League, according to his obituary. His family said he collapsed while playing the sport and never regained consciousness. Officials have not released a medical cause of death.
Rome City Schools said the incident happened away from school property and was not related to Rome High School. The district expressed condolences to the teenager’s relatives, friends and others affected by his death. Local news reports have not identified the soccer field where he collapsed or provided details about whether the gathering was an organized game, practice or informal activity.
Atlanta News First reported that family members described Bairon as a quiet teenager who nevertheless had a way of making other people smile. An online fundraiser established for his family said he died while doing something he loved and spending time with friends. The fundraiser was created to assist with hospital and funeral expenses.
Good Shepherd Funeral Home identified Bairon’s date of birth as March 28, 2010, and his date of death as Sept. 18, 2026. The obituary described him as a son, brother, friend and classmate whose strongest interests included soccer and time spent with the people close to him.
The obituary said Bairon played with the Rome High School Soccer Team as well as the Rome Soccer Premier League. His family remembered soccer as a major source of happiness for him and said some of his favorite moments involved playing the sport, laughing and spending time with friends.
Several Atlanta-area news organizations reported the death after information began circulating through the family’s fundraiser. WSB-TV reported that Bairon collapsed while on the field with teammates, while Atlanta News First said it had not initially been clear whether he was participating in a game or practice. Later reporting cited the school district in confirming the incident did not happen on school grounds.
No public report reviewed as of Wednesday identified an underlying illness, injury or other medical condition that may have caused the collapse. The available accounts also do not describe emergency treatment provided at the field or establish where Bairon was taken afterward. His cause of death therefore remains publicly undetermined.
The teenager’s death has drawn expressions of sympathy from the school community and those who knew him through soccer. Rome City Schools said it was deeply saddened by the loss and extended condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. His obituary also described a wider circle of teammates, classmates and teachers mourning him.
Funeral arrangements announced by Good Shepherd Funeral Home include a remembrance gathering Saturday, Sept. 26, followed by visitation and a service Sunday, Sept. 27. A graveside service is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 28, at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens in Rome. No additional information about the cause of Bairon’s collapse had been released as of Wednesday.
Author note: Last updated September 23, 2026.