As told by Finley’s mother, Veronica
Finley had been diagnosed with factor V Leiden homozygous in May 2023. I asked for him to be tested due to family history. No one explained his diagnosis to us, nor was it given any credence when brought up at doctor appointments.
In June of 2024, in the height of football camps leading up to his senior season, Finley got sick with pneumonia. He was treated and started to get better. However, his cough continued and started to get worse. Finley started to get more issues with reflux, vomiting under exertion.
Finley’s symptoms were shortness of breath, low oxygen levels, high heart rate, shortness of breath, black spots in his vision, heavy legs, and difficulty going up stairs.
When we went to urgent care, they heard something and put him on an EKG. His EKG showed right heart strain, oxygen levels between 94-97, and a high heart rate. We were sent to cardiology, where they did an echocardiogram and cleared him.
Finley collapsed at school in the football locker room on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. He went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Due to his massive saddle pulmonary embolism, the 90 minutes of CPR did not provide oxygenated blood to his brain, and he had massive brain damage.
He never woke up and ended up being declared brain dead on October 9 and was officially declared dead on October 11. Finley donated his organs — his heart and a kidney saved a 55-year-old man in Texas and his other kidney saved the life of a 15-year-old girl. His tissue will continue to save the lives of others.
I’ve lost a child who should still be here. He was not taken seriously with his symptoms. I am working tirelessly to keep his spirit alive by spreading kindness and encouraging others to spread Finley’s light through their actions, specifically high schoolers.
Finley spread kindness everywhere he went. His megawatt smile and tall stature were welcoming to all who encountered him. He was driven and funny. He loved all things math and computer science. He enjoyed Legos, Rubik’s Cube, puzzles, games, playing his ukelele, and training his dogs to play games and do tricks.
He had planned to play football at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY and study computer science and engineering. He was teaching himself Japanese so that when he got a job, he could speak to them in their natural tongue since the top companies in his field were based in Japan.
There are not enough adjectives to adequately describe the light that Finley created in this world. He is missed more than words. The best way to honor him is to save others and work to create a kinder world for all students and people.
There is a lack of knowledge as it pertains to children and blood clots, specifically athletes. My advice to others is to know your family history, research the symptoms, and don’t feel afraid to push and question your doctors.
Resources
Children and Blood Clots
Factor V Leiden
Athletes and Blood Clots
