Austin High School student Chris Fischer, 14, passes away

Published 9:17 pm Saturday, September 2, 2017

An Austin boy, 14, who collapsed at high school football practice on Aug. 22 died Saturday morning, Sept. 2, “due to complications from cardiac arrest,” says a preliminary obituary on the Clasen-Jordan Mortuary website.

The passing of Chris Fischer, 14, was publicly announced on Saturday by family member Lynn Fisher. He went “peacefully and comfortably without suffering” at about 7:25 a.m., according to her post published on CaringBridge.org, which the family has used to share updates on his condition.

Funeral services are pending.

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“It is up to the rest of us to live life to the fullest in order to fill the void that we will all feel because we knew and loved Chris,” Lynn Fischer wrote.

When Chris Fischer collapsed Aug. 22,  school employees responded to his medical needs and called 911, Austin Superintendent of Schools Dave Krenz said in a statement that day. Austin police and paramedics took over Fischer’s care. He was taken by ambulance to the Mayo Health Systems Center-Austin emergency room, and then taken by helicopter to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.

He had been in the pediatric intensive care unit since then.

On Sunday, Lynn Fisher posted a request on CaringBridge.com for photos of Chris.

“Thank you for the continued outpouring of love and support.  As you can imagine, we have many details to arrange to set up the visitation and memorial service. Once those are set in place, they will be announced in the newspaper and here,” she wrote. “Chris did not like having mom take pictures of him, therefore most of mine are him ducking away, his hand in front of his face, etc.  Please send pictures to faithforchris@gmail.com.”

The community has responded to Chris Fischer’s passing. More than 120 condolence messages were on the Sept. 2 post by Monday morning. The Austin Youth Hockey association posted on Instragram “It is with sadness in our hearts (the) AYH family lost Chris Fischer this morning.”

Lynn Fischer also quoted the Bible in her Sept. 2 post — 2 Timothy 4:7-8: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”