James was just finishing his first semester as a freshman at Geneva High School when, on December 8, 2023, he collapsed during swim practice after suffering a catastrophic cerebral hemorrhage. He was airlifted to Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, where he underwent two brain surgeries over the following week. Sadly, James could not recover and passed away on Sunday, December 17, 2023.

His passing was caused by an Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM), a rare, congenital condition involving an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain. Because AVMs rarely show any prior symptoms, they often go completely undetected until a sudden rupture occurs.

Photo: (Left to right) Big brother Sean and James at the practice pool of their swim coach, Jennifer Heyer-Olson, in 2022. Both brothers were dedicated members of the Geneva High School/West Chicago Co-Op swim team.