Mass. High Schooler, 17, Dies After Experiencing Medical Emergency During Wrestling Practice

Mar. 15, 2025

Freddy Espinal, the Mass. teen who died after experiencing a medical emergency during wrestling practice on Sept. 22, 2024.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

A Massachusetts teenager has died after experiencing a medical emergency during wrestling practice.

Freddy Espinal, 17, was at practice on Sunday, Sept. 22, when the medical emergency occurred, according toBoston.comandSalem News. The teen died a short time later.

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Moda, who was both Espinal’s high school and club coach, said the teen’s death “will be felt in the community.” He said Espinal fell in love with wrestling as a freshman, and had “a larger-than-life personality on and off the mat.”

“Wrestling aside, I thoroughly enjoyed him as a person,” Moda wrote, “he genuinely made me laugh with his antics and he was committed to his teammates and friends.”

Max LoRusso, Espinal’s team captain, said his late teammate was “always going hard” every time he wrestled, and would leave “everything out” on the mat. “That should inspire everyone to want to wrestle like Freddy,” he added.

Espinal’s coach organized aGoFundMe campaignfor the teen’s family to help “ease the financial burden” they now face. More than $46,000 has been raised through the online fundraiser in the three days following Espinal’s sudden death.

According to Moda, wrestling practice for RRWC was canceled on Monday, Sept, 23. The next evening, coaches were at the club for any of Espinal’s teammates that wanted to “grieve, talk, or to just remember Freddy.”

source: people.com