Bucknell sued in death of freshman lineman Calvin Dickey Jr.

The parents of a Bucknell football player who died after a workout in July are suing the school and members of its administration and coaching staff, saying the university knew about their son’s sickle cell diagnosis but didn’t have protocols in place to protect him.

Calvin “C.J.” Dickey Jr., an 18-year-old freshman, died July 12, two days after collapsing at his first workout with the Bisons. According to the family’s attorney, Mike Caspino, Dickey’s autopsy determined he died from complications of sickle cell-related rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition that experts told ESPN is easily prevented, and even reversed, by stopping exercise.

The lawsuit states Dickey’s death was “completely avoidable” and was in part caused by “aggravated hazing.”

“We do this for CJ, for every young man on that team, and anyone who comes after him, and anyone at any university,” Dickey’s mother, Nicole, said Wednesday. “This is a longer, harder path, and I am ready for it. My boy is worth it.”

In a statement to ESPN, Bucknell said it is aware of the lawsuit. “The death of a student is always a tragic loss,” Bucknell said in the statement. “While the University will not comment on pending litigation, we again extend heartfelt sympathies to CJ’s family, and we will continue to focus on our most important priority — the health and safety of all Bucknell students.”

The NCAA mandates sickle-cell trait testing for all athletes, as individuals with the trait are at a higher risk of rhbado if they begin to feel fatigued and do not stop exercising. In an online fact sheet for coaches, the NCAA says, “Incidents of sudden death in athletes with sickle cell trait have been exclusive to conditioning sessions rather than game or skill practice situations,” and, “Coaches should conduct appropriate sport-specific conditioning based on sound scientific principles and be ready to intervene when student-athletes show signs of distress.”

According to the lawsuit, Dickey’s parents uploaded their son’s medical records to Bucknell, and a trainer called his mother to discuss Dickey’s sickle cell diagnosis before he arrived on campus.

Dickey told his parents that he and other freshmen were performing up-downs “as punishment” after they “messed up” at a workout, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also states there was no trainer present during the workout when he collapsed.

“Students who were present at the workout have reported that CJ was clearly in distress during the 100 up-downs,” the lawsuit states. “He was falling behind the rest of the group and could not keep up.”

The lawsuit claims that the Pascucci Center, where the workout took place, did not have an emergency action plan in place to respond to medical emergencies.

After collapsing, Dickey was taken to the hospital and was put on dialysis, his parents told ESPN in August. During and after emergency surgery to relieve pressure building in his extremities, Dickey’s heart stopped, and doctors tried to resuscitate him, his parents said. The last time his heart stopped, doctors attempted to bring him back for 20 minutes before his parents asked them to stop.

The family is accusing the school of negligence and wrongful death, among other claims, according to the lawsuit. The family is seeking compensation from the university and hopes the lawsuit will compel the school to release the facts surrounding the death of their son, take responsibility for his death and sponsor initiatives designed to ensure no other Bucknell athlete “suffers a similar fate,” according to a statement.

Dickey’s father, Calvin Sr., said on Wednesday, “We don’t want another athlete, another family, brother, cousin to go through this type of agony and pain and death, especially when it’s not necessary or completely avoidable.”