Peyton West's parents would never have thought that his first day of school this year was going to be his last.
The
13-year-old had survived a heart transplant in March and spent the past
five months living a full and fun life, said his father, Corey West. He
developed a passion for food, especially Mexican. Soccer became his
favorite sport, and he would watch FC Cincinnati professional games with
his dad. It wasn't a coincidence that it had been his heart donor,
Derek's, favorite sport, too.
"Peyton thought, 'hey, if Derek loved soccer, then I love soccer,' " West said.
Peyton woke up on Thursday excited for
his first day of eighth grade in Goshen, Ohio. He was being goofy, West
said, and the family took a photo of him smiling on their front porch.
But 15 minutes later, when older brother Ethan dropped him off at
school, everything changed.
He told
Ethan he didn't feel well and then collapsed, West said. Ethan carried
him to the school nurse's office. An ambulance rushed the boy to the
hospital before his mother, Melissa, joined them.
The
medics told Melissa West that they were quick to leave because Peyton's
heart had stopped and it was a sight that no mother should see, West
said.
Doctors tried for 2½ hours to revive him, but Peyton died at the hospital.