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A University of Iowa student and Hawkeye Marching Band member has died after being removed from life support following an incident during the Sept. 5 football game against the Northern Illinois Huskies.
Director of the Hawkeye Marching Band Dr. Eric W. Bush released a statement Tuesday afternoon confirming UI third-year student Derek Phillips’ death.
Phillips collapsed in the heat— after temperatures reached a high of 94 degrees Fahrenheit — shortly before the band was to play its halftime show and suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, Phillips’s family confirmed in a post made on his Instagram account.
According to the post, Phillips was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at UI Health Care. There, medical professionals identified severe brain damage resulting from cardiac arrest, and his family stated they chose to remove Phillips’s life support.
“Derek is comfortable, surrounded by family, and enveloped in the music he loved so much,” the post reads. “Thank you for every prayer, every shared experience, and every bit of love you’ve given to our boy.”
The post states Phillips spent this past summer touring with the drum and bugle corps and was an avid listener and player of jazz, choir, and marching band.
In an email statement to The Daily Iowan, UI Public Relations Manager Chris Brewer said university officials are saddened by Phillips’ condition and recommend students seek support if necessary. He listed University Counseling Services, Student Care and Assistance, the Employee Assistance Program, and the 24-hour Crisis and Support Line for students to access.
“The entire Hawkeye Marching Band family is thinking of Derek Phillips and his loved ones,” Brewer wrote in his statement. “We are grateful to his parents for providing regular updates to the students who love Derek. This is heartbreaking for everyone who cares for him. The university is in close contact and is offering support. Both the HMB and School of Music have counselors on-site for students this week. HMB director Eric Bush has shared resources with the band community and is encouraging anyone who needs support to seek assistance.”
Correction: The Daily Iowan previously reported that Phillips died, which had not been confirmed at the time of publication, as his life support was removed Monday. We apologize for this error.