Police: Holden boy participated in light soccer drills before he collapsed

By Laura J. Nelson, Globe Correspondent and John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

The 12-year-old boy who collapsed at a Holden soccer camp had been engaged in light physical activities for just 35 minutes before he was fatally stricken by an unknown medical ailment, Holden Police Chief George Sherrill said today.

Joshua Thibodeau

Sherrill said the results of an autopsy by the state medical examiner’s office may be released later today, which may explain why the apparently healthy child suddenly died.

“We don’t know,’’ the chief said.

Joshua Thibodeau was attending the Zalgiris Soccer Camp, which operates at the Wachusett Regional High School athletic field, located across the street from the Holden police and fire departments.

In a telephone interview today, the chief said the camp held its first session on Monday, beginning at 9 a.m. Organizational issues, such as checking for paperwork, consumed the first 20 minutes, he said.

Around 9:20 a.m., camp participants began warm-up drills, including dribbling soccer balls through cones, he said. Thibodeau was participating in the drill when he collapsed at 9:55 a.m., the chief said. Temperatures were not excessive and plenty of water was on hand for the participants.

Sherrill said staffers called for medical help and medics were on scene almost immediately.

At the same time, Thibodeau’s brother, Jake, who was also attending the camp, called his parents on the cellphone. The parents rushed over from their home, about a mile away in Holden, and rode in the ambulance with their son to UMass Medical Center in Worcester, he said.

Sherill said Thibodeau and all of the campers had a medical waiver to participate in activities at the facility.

The boy was the second-oldest of five children. His family - his mother, Deb; father, Ralph; older brother Jake; and younger siblings Adam, Annabelle, and Amelia - released a statement yesterday.

“Josh’s family would like to thank the Holden Police Department, Fire Department, and ER team at UMass for trying so hard to save our precious son’s life,’’ his family said in the statement.

“Josh was a kindhearted, caring, and loving son and brother. His smile lit up our world, as well as his lighthearted and borderline goofy personality. Josh loved sports and was an exemplary athlete, student, and friend. Josh was fun!

“We are all broken-hearted and will forever miss our ‘moose.’ ”

The camp reopened today.