Jackson State football player Kaseem Vauls in hospital after cardiac arrest

j.t. keith, mississippi clarion ledger

Thu, Feb 16, 2023, 9:38 PM·2 min read

Jackson State football defensive lineman Kaseem Vauls, 21, is in stable condition, according to family, after having a cardiac arrest Wednesday morning.

Vauls' father, William, said doctors resuscitated him and put him on a ventilator before a surgery Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday evening, he told the Clarion Ledger his son remained heavily sedated and was in "stable condition, but still critical."

William Vauls said his son had not been feeling well for a couple of weeks, and that he had told his son to go to the emergency room. He also said Kaseem had been participating in activities with the football team but had not told coaches or trainers about stomach pains.

Hey Everyone this is William, Kaseem father the emergency procedure went well but it is still heavily sedated. The doctors said he progressing they will gradually lower down his medication he on and the lower down the input of the machine he on gradually, which is a good sign
— Kaseem Vauls (@KVauls52) February 16, 2023

"What the doctors think happened," William Vauls said, "that when Kaseem's heart was failing, that what was giving him the stomach pains. His liver was suffering as fluid built up with toxins in his liver, kidneys and blood. All those toxins built up in his blood stream and his heart could not operate properly and the machine is being used to clean out the blood and toxins."

Kaseem Vauls went to the hospital Wednesday morning and William Vauls said a cardiologist told him his son's heart was functioning at 10-15%.

William Vauls said the heart failure could be genetic; William was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) seven years ago.

"I have received a lot of support from the JSU alumni, faculty, coaches, students," William Vauls said. "They have put me up in a hotel for five nights. We are so grateful to them for their help in our time of need."

The Jackson State athletic department has not yet commented.

Kaseem Vauls, is 6-foot-1, 250 pounds and attend Irmo High School in Columbia, South Carolina. He was a redshirt freshman in 2022 after attending Alabama A&M during the 2021 season, but he has yet to play in a game.