The exciting return of college football turned tragic in Iowa City last weekend after a band member collapsed in the heat and suffered catastrophic brain injury.
The hometown University of Iowa Hawkeyes were set to take on the Huskies of Northern Illinois on Saturday in the first matchup of the 2026 season for both teams.
‘Music was the language of his soul.’
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Temperatures reached a scorching 94 degrees, and the Hawkeye marching band announced that they would “forgo” the halftime performance on account of the heat.
At about this time, Derek Phillips, a third-year student at Iowa and a member of the marching band, suddenly collapsed.
In a post on Instagram, Phillips’ family confirmed that he suffered “sudden cardiac arrest” that resulted in “severe” brain damage. As a result,
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