A 17 year-old Fort Collins resident who collapsed during a rugby match in Timnath had an enlarged heart and died of cardiac arrest, according to the Larimer County Coroners office.
Matthew Hammerdorfer had at least one surgery to correct the congenital defect when he was eight years old, Kari Jones, Larimer deputy coroner, said Sunday.
The Poudre High School student died on Saturday after collapsing during a youth rugby match in Fort Collins.
Hammerdorfer had just absorbed a hit to the chest when he collapsed. “That wasn’t a contributing factor at all. It was just ironic timing,” said Jones.
The Poudre Fire Authority responded to a call from the field at about 1:30 .m. Hammerdorfer was airlifted to the Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland where he died a few hours later.
The autopsy was performed today at McKee Medical Center by Deputy Coroner James A. Wilkerson.
Tom McGhee: (303)954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
