'They said it was cardiac arrest': Alabama high school basketball player dies at 17 years old

17-year-old Alabama high school basketball player Caleb White passed away on Thursday.

"One of our senior students suffered a medical emergency at school today. Life saving efforts were immediately started and first responders were called. Sadly, the student was later pronounced deceased after being transported to the hospital. Out of respect for the family, we are not releasing the name of the student at this time," Pinson Valley High School principal Michael Turner reportedly communicated in a message to parents.

Jefferson County Schools superintendent Walter Gonsoulin Jr. has indicated that White had been playing basketball with his teammates at the time of the medical issue.

"They said it was cardiac arrest,” White's mother Charlette White said, according to al.com.

George Varnadoe Jr. has indicated in Facebook posts that he is the young man's grandfather.

"MY HEART IS EXTREMELY HEAVY. MY GRANDSON, CALEB WHITE WAS WORKING OUT WITH HIS TEAM A SHORT WHILE AGO. HE COLLAPSED ON THE FLOOR, THEY TRIED RESUSCITATING HIM. WHEN THAT DIDN’T WORK, HE WAS THEN TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE DOCTOR’S COULDN’T REVIVE HIM. AT 17, HE WAS DEAD!!!! CALEB WAS AN HONOR STUDENT, VERY RESPECTFUL, HIGH INTELLECT, EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL, PHENOMENAL BASKETBALL PLAYER RANKED 25TH BEST POINT GUARD IN HIS CLASS IN THE NATION & NUMBER 2 IN THE STATE OF ALABAMA. RIP CALEB! I LOVE YOU MAN!!!!" Varnadoe wrote in one Facebook post.

In another post Varnadoe wrote, "24 HOURS AGO, MY GRANDSON, CALEB WHITE COLLAPSED ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, WENT INTO CARDIAC ARREST AND ALL ATTEMPTS TO RESUSCITATE HIM FAILED." Later in the post, Varnadoe wrote, "WE ALL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH GOD, ONE THAT YOU CAN’T RESCHEDULE. SO WE MUST STAY READY, BECAUSE YOU WON’T HAVE TIME TO GET READY. PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR MY FAMILY."

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