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CNN Live At Daybreak

Minnesota Vikings Player Dead From Heat Stroke

Aired August 01, 2001 - 08:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, obviously, the heat with deadly results up in Minnesota.

We've got Ray Dalessio with us right now of CNN Sports Illustrated.

Ray, you've been working on this story.

RAY DALESSIO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.

LIN: It's hard to believe that something like this could happen, because you know, coaches, I imagine, are aware of the danger of heat and playing.

DALESSIO: Well, it is, Carol. And like you said earlier, I mean the heat index, you know, it doesn't matter what the temperature is -- whether it's 85 degrees or whether it's 75 degrees. A lot of times those heat indexes shoot up.

And these guys are doing two-a-day practices as well. And I'm sure one of the things that they do concentrate on is giving these guys breaks. You know, they take water breaks as much as they can. But Stringer, he has had a history of battling weight problems. There is no indication whether or not that was the case.

But again he was rushed to a nearby hospital following yesterday morning's practice. His temperature did shoot up to 108 degrees. And in a statement released by the Minnesota Vikings said that Stringer was unresponsive at the time of the arrival. He had an extremely high core temperature. Stringer developed multi-organ system failure throughout the day and night, requiring the attention of multiple specialists and staff and never regained consciousness. And despite all efforts, his heart failed at 1:50 a.m.

Stringer about to begin his seventh year in the league, Carol, just 26 years old.

LIN: Have you heard any reaction from the team now?

DALESSIO: No reaction from the team. Again, everything is still new -- stuff coming in. And obviously as you can imagine, the team is upset. So we will be working on this throughout the day.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much. DALESSIO: OK.

LIN: Ray Dalessio, CNN's "Sports Illustrated." Thanks for scrambling up here.

DALESSIO: You're welcome.

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