Lake Travis HS student dies after medical emergency during football practice

LAKE TRAVIS, Texas - The Lake Travis community is coming together to support a varsity football player. [Fox 7 Austin]

# ARTICLE BODY

A Lake Travis High School senior lineman died this week following a cardiac emergency that occurred during football practice, officials confirmed. Odin Hensley, a two-sport athlete who competed in both football and wrestling, suffered the health crisis Monday morning around 8 a.m. at the school's athletic facility in the Austin area. Emergency responders, including Travis County STAR Flight, responded to the scene. Hensley was transported to Dell Children's Medical Center, where he remained hospitalized in intensive care before his death.

Lake Travis Independent School District Superintendent Curtis Null announced Hensley's passing in a letter to families, describing the teenager as a longtime member of the district community who had attended Lake Pointe Elementary School before advancing to Lake Travis High School. "His teachers and coaches remember Odin as a kind, determined young man who was a valued teammate, classmate, and friend," Null wrote in the correspondence. The superintendent noted that Hensley's presence had impacted many people throughout the school community.

In response to the Monday incident, the Lake Travis High School football program suspended all activities for the remainder of that day as a precautionary measure. Head Coach and Athletic Director Hank Carter acknowledged the severity of the situation and thanked community members for their support during the crisis.

The school district moved quickly to provide counseling resources for those affected by the tragedy. Counselors stationed at Lake Travis High School's counseling center were made available to students, staff and families, with additional mental health professionals placed on standby to assist as needed. The community response proved overwhelming, with a planned vigil at the high school relocating to Lake Hills Church to accommodate the number of attendees. Students from rival schools, including Westlake High School, participated in the observance, with opposing football players and coaches signing encouragement posters filled with prayers for Hensley.

A fundraising effort was established through GoFundMe to assist Hensley's family with mounting medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost income while his parents remained at his bedside. The family's fundraiser noted that medical personnel had expressed concerns about potential complications affecting his brain and organ function.