Connors State student-athlete Ethan Dietz tragically died from a head injury he suffered during a college basketball game in November. There are a lot of questions that still remain unanswered.
Three law firms with experience in complex litigation, traumatic brain injuries and Oklahoma law are working together to provide a full understanding of the sequence of events that led to his untimely death.
Dietz was failed by his college basketball coaching staff after he took a blow to the head. This initial investigation will likely open the door for a lawsuit against those involved parties and/or the university.
Ethan Dietz died from a head injury.
Connors State, a public community college in Oklahoma, played against Grayson College on Nov. 22. The men’s basketball game took place in Denison, Texas.
Ethan Dietz took a hard elbow to the head during the first half. He showed immediate signs of discomfort and had to be helped off of the court by one of his teammates because he was disoriented but he coaching staff checked him back into the game just two minutes later.
Head coach Bill Muse allowed him to keep playing even though the 20-year-old repeatedly grabbed at his head and tried to shake off the cobwebs. It was abundantly clear that Dietz was not well. The sophomore forward eventually took himself out of the game with ~12 minutes remaining.
Not only was Dietz unable to keep playing, he sat by himself at the end of the bench and covered his head with a towel because he was so uncomfortable. Nobody went to check on him. Not Muse, not the athletic trainer, not an assistant coach, not even his teammates. Nobody.
Connors State eventually made the drive home from Texas to Oklahoma. Ethan Dietz was still alive.
However, he had to be rushed to the hospital upon return to campus and passed away three days later.
The coroner’s report confirmed what we already knew. Dietz died from trauma that stemmed from the in-game blow to the head, which caused a collection of blood between his skull and the outer brain lining known as an epidural hematoma. His death likely could’ve been prevented with proper, timely treatment.
He was failed.
Muse, who already had a well-documented history of neglect when it comes to head injuries, was placed on administrative leave at the beginning of the spring semester. As were three of his assistants.
Connors State must explain the untimely death of its college basketball player.
There are a few immediate questions related to the death of Ethan Dietz.
- Why did nobody go to check on him?
- Why was he allowed back in the game?
- Who decided that he was cleared to play?
- Did the coaching staff ignore signs of discomfort?
Dietz also did not receive medial attention after the game even though there was a hospital just minutes away from the campus of Grayson College. He was instead told to board the team bus for a 2.5-hour drive back to Oklahoma. All the while, the student-athlete was suffering from a brain bleed.
Dietz was later taken to a Tulsa hospital approximately five hours after the game ended. Why not sooner?
A powerful legal team representing Ethan’s mother, Krystal Dietz, is looking for answers.
Senior Partner Michael E. Holden, Partner Michael D. Cerasa and Senior Attorney Benjamin A. Berkman of national trial firm Romanucci & Blandin, Attorneys Chad W. P. Kelliher and Andrea R. Rust of Fulmer Sill, and Attorney Maxey Scherr of Scherr Law Firm are “working to develop a full understanding of what did and did not happen during the minutes and hours after Ethan was injured during the game” They will also examine “what injury policies, processes and protocols did nor did not exist with the school, the athletic conference, and any other body with oversight of these athletes.”
Krystal Dietz released the following statement:
“It’s impossible to describe someone like Ethan in words because words can feel empty. I remember how true this felt after writing his obituary. I have 20 years of memories and story after story that show his character beyond simple words. Ethan was truly special, embodying kindness, joy, and authenticity. He helped others selflessly, like assisting a fallen woman or sharing his lunch with a classmate in need. His smile brightened every room, and he had a way of making everyone feel loved and heard. Ethan loved you in the deepest, most genuine way.
Ethan had a vision of becoming a Division I basketball player. He spent his summers training with both basketball and personal trainers. He fed his body like an athlete and drank only water and electrolytes. I remember checking his Life360 to make sure he was moving as he ran the bleachers and did calisthenics at his local high school’s football stadium at night. He grinded year-round to better himself for the upcoming season. He had the discipline, dedication, and work ethic required to see that kind of dream through, had he only been given the time.
For me, Ethan was my life and my purpose. I wanted to provide a life for him that would give him the best chance of success in the real world. He also motivated me to be the absolute best person I could be. He was my proudest achievement, my closest friend, and the reason I strived every day to do well. He brought me love and laughter daily, and I taught him responsibility and a work ethic. We paired well together.
November 22nd was the longest night of my life. My heart pounded, my head spun, and I was numb with fear during the entire four-hour drive to Tulsa. I remember how big the hospital seemed as a nurse walked me to his room. Alone with my son, hooked to so many machines, my world crumbled and I experienced a mother’s worst nightmare when hospital staff told me his condition was then unsurvivable. I remember thinking, ‘This happens to other people, not me and Ethan Dietz.’ People drove from all over Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas to see and pray for Ethan over the next couple of days. It was simultaneously the most horrific and beautiful experience, but what stood out the most was what Ethan meant to his people.
Every day I wake up, I remember the nightmare I am living. That is one of the worst truths I can imagine exists—that I am here, but my Ethan is not. It is a deep pain inside your body that steals your breath away and threatens never to give it back. I live with the constant feeling of wanting to crawl out of my skin, but I know I’m stuck. This is not something time heals; nor does it scab over or get easier. They say you learn to live alongside it, but today it still feels impossible. The motivation that keeps me upright is to protect another child, another mother, another athlete, another family, community, and friend from having to live the heartbreak those of us who were lucky enough to be loved by Ethan live every day.”
— Ethan Dietz’s mother Krystal Dietz
Should this investigation determine a catastrophic failure by Muse or the university, it will likely lead to additional legal action. Dietz’s death might’ve been prevented if he was not neglected. His family wants justice. This investigation is the first step.