He was just Q-man — a superhero of sorts in the eyes of his many friends, a boy who lifted their spirits and radiated cheer and charm.
He was 15-year-old Quinton Sanford, a wrestler and cross country runner at Highlands Ranch High School, who collapsed Wednesday afternoon during a school-sponsored run along the High Line Canal.
Friends said his father, who was present at the race, performed CPR, but Quinton died en route to the hospital.
For much of the school, Thursday was a day of mourning. Word of the sophomore’s death spread quickly.
Students came to school donning black, many crying throughout the day. Grief-stricken teachers couldn’t make it through class. The school already endured the loss of another student a few weeks ago.
A preliminary autopsy by the Arapahoe County coroner’s office was inconclusive. Additional test results are expected in eight to 10 weeks.
“If he just started talking to you, you would get a smile,” said 15-year-old sophomore Taylor Snow. “He was always happy, and he loved everyone.”
A fellow sophomore, Abbey Nugent, 15, had known Quinton since kindergarten.
“He turned everything around and looked on the bright side of things,” she said.
Thursday night a handful of Taylor’s friends came together at a home to design T-shirts in his memory.
The team held a meeting Thursday to discuss his death.
The annual race — known as the “Chicken Run” — is an unofficial event that brings together the girls’ and boys’ cross country teams, their parents and school staff members — some of whom watch, while others run.
Slower runners start first, and faster runners begin later, said one team parent.
School officials are offering students the opportunity to talk to teachers, mental-health staff, administrators and a Douglas County School District crisis team.
“Feelings can be especially overwhelming at this time,” principal Jerry Goings wrote in the letter to parents. “There is no right way to express the sadness, grief and confusion that our students can feel when they encounter tragedy.”
Daniel Petty: 303-954-1081 or dpetty@denverpost.com
