University of Iowa marching band member dies after collapsing during heat at football game

A University of Iowa marching band member has been taken off life support after collapsing during extreme heat at the Hawkeyes’ season-opening football game on Saturday, his family said.

Derek Phillips, a third-year student from Dubuque, Iowa, suffered a sudden cardiac arrest shortly before the band was scheduled to perform its half-time show against Northern Illinois at Kinnick Stadium, according to a message posted to his Instagram account by his family.

Phillips was taken to University of Iowa Health Care, where he was treated in intensive care. His family said the cardiac arrest caused severe brain damage and that they made the decision to remove him from life support.

“Derek is comfortable, surrounded by family, and enveloped in the music he loved so much,” the family said. “Thank you for every prayer, every shared experience, and every bit of love you’ve given to our boy.”

Temperatures reached 94F (34C) in Iowa City on Saturday. It was 90F (32C) at kickoff, making it the fourth-hottest home football game in Iowa history, according to the university.

The heat index made conditions feel hotter and Iowa took several precautions ahead of the game. Fans were permitted to bring water bottles into the stadium, while start times for several other athletic events over the weekend were changed because of the forecast.

The marching band also wore alternate uniforms of shorts and T-shirts rather than its traditional wool uniforms. It performed its usual pre-game program but canceled its half-time performance.

“The health and safety of our students, staff, and fans are our top priority,” the Hawkeye Marching Band said in announcing the cancellation Saturday. “Due to the heat, HMB will forego our halftime performance today.”

The university has not said whether the heat caused Phillips’ cardiac arrest, according to KCRG, the ABC affiliate covering Iowa City.

“The entire Hawkeye Marching Band family is thinking of Derek Phillips and his loved ones,” the university said in a 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.”

The university said counselors were made available this week to students in the marching band and School of Music.

Phillips played horn in the Hawkeye Marching Band and studied business analytics and information systems at Iowa. He had spent the summer touring with a drum and bugle corps, according to his family.

His family described him as someone who brought “so much light, humor and kindness into this world” and whose life revolved around music.

“He was a phenomenal musician – whether he was playing jazz, singing his heart out, or marching under the lights, music was the language of his soul,” the family said.