SAN ANTONIO -- Many are grieving after a local high school student athlete suddenly died in his sleep. It has left many shocked and confused.
Josh Pollard was loved by many and had many friends. Wednesday afternoon the school hosted an impromptu bereavement session and the entire parking lot was full of vehicles. It looked like a regular school day, not summer vacation. About 500 to 600 students and parents showed up to grieve.
“Whenever you’d feel down or anything, you could always count on him to make you feel happy,” said Sam Cole, who has known Pollard since middle school.
“Every single word that came out of his mouth, I knew he was a great guy,” David Millard said.
There was no shortage of nice things to be said about Pollard Wednesday. The stand out student athlete, who played on both the football and baseball teams, just turned 18 in July and was getting ready for his senior year.
Sadly, the unthinkable happened.
NEISD officials said Pollard went to bed after midnight Monday, but never woke up Tuesday morning, dying in his sleep. The Bexar county medical examiner’s office said an autopsy revealed he died of natural causes due to an enlarged heart.
“He just had his annual physical for athletics and no red flags there as far as we knew,” football coach Ron Harris said.
Harris got to see Pollard grow into a young man respected by many.
“Just one of those kids that was always happy and you hear it all the time, but for him it was the truth,” said Harris. “You never saw him in a bad mood, always had a smile on your face, always made you laugh.”
Less than 48 hours after the tragic news spread, hundreds of students put aside their summer plans and gathered to grieve with one another.
“There's kids in there from Reagan, Johnson, Churchill, MacArthur,” Harris said.
“Josh Pollard, he had so many friends and for a good reason and everybody loved him,” Millard said.
“Whenever you’re just in a group with your friends hanging out, he’d always make people laugh and feel happy. That’s probably what I’ll miss the most,” Cole said.
Pollard leaves behind his parents and two older brothers.
Prayers to the friends & family of Josh Pollard. He was an amazing guy that could light up any room with his smile & laugh. We will miss you
— WC Younglife 2015-16 (@ChurchillYL) August 3, 2016
Pollard's sudden and unexplained death has shocked many in the community. Friends, fellow students, and staff have taken to social media to offer condolences and share their memories of Pollard.
Josh Pollard has been and will always be family. Same smile and personality since I first met him. Truly a heartbreaking loss for so many.
— John Whalen V (@JohnnyWhalen5) August 3, 2016
Prayers go out to the Pollard family and WC community. Rest in peace Josh.
— Nathan Plotkin (@nathanplotkin3) August 3, 2016
Praying for the Pollard family and the WC community... RIP Josh, always were such a cool down to earth guy you will be missed❤️
— Jacob (@jacobpena15) August 2, 2016
Churchill Athletic Director Ron Harris shared this picture Wednesday afternoon on Twitter with a post that said, "No words I can say are adequate but......"
No words I can say are adequate but...... pic.twitter.com/q1fUddwlbY
— Ron Harris (@WCRonHarris) August 3, 2016