Texas Sheriff’s Son Dies After Heatstroke During Grueling Training Run

A 21-year-old Texas A&M University senior has died after spending nearly two weeks fighting for his life following a heatstroke emergency during a grueling training run.

Austin Stallman, the son of Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman, died early Tuesday, Sept. 29, after becoming critically ill during a nine-mile run in College Station on Sept. 15.

The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office announced the devastating news, saying Austin had been battling the effects of heatstroke for two weeks.

“We are heartbroken to share the passing of Austin Stallman, Sheriff Bo Stallman’s son,” the department said.

Austin was a senior at Texas A&M and participated in SEAL Platoon, a student organization designed to prepare students interested in becoming Navy SEALs, explosive ordnance disposal specialists and other military special-operations candidates.

The organization is separate from the Navy’s official SEAL training program.

According to local reporting, Austin was participating in a nine-mile training run when trouble began.

About halfway through the run, the 21-year-old reportedly became disoriented. Another student who was with him flagged down a passing vehicle for assistance, and emergency help was called.

Austin was hospitalized with heatstroke and rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life-threatening condition in which damaged muscle tissue rapidly breaks down and releases substances into the bloodstream that can harm the kidneys and other organs.

His condition became extremely serious.

Local reports said Austin required continuous dialysis and substantial blood transfusions as doctors worked to stabilize problems involving his kidneys, liver and blood clotting.

On Sept. 20, he was airlifted from College Station to a San Antonio hospital for more specialized critical care.

The weather in College Station was unusually hot on the day Austin became ill. National Weather Service records show the temperature eventually climbed to 99 degrees on Sept. 15, eight degrees above the normal high for that date.

It is not clear what the exact temperature was at the location or time Austin was running.

Heatstroke is considered a medical emergency. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the condition occurs when the body can no longer adequately control its temperature and can lead to permanent disability or death without rapid treatment.

Confusion or disorientation — the symptom Austin reportedly experienced during the run — is among the warning signs associated with heatstroke.

Rhabdomyolysis can also be associated with prolonged physical exertion and heat stress. The condition causes muscle tissue to break down rapidly, potentially damaging the kidneys and triggering other serious complications.

As Austin remained hospitalized, people across Brazoria County rallied around the Stallman family.

Community members organized blood drives and prayer gatherings, while a fundraising campaign was launched to help the family with expenses.

But after nearly two weeks of intensive treatment, Austin died Tuesday morning.

Texas A&M confirmed his death and offered condolences to those who knew him.

“It is a tragedy whenever a student or member of our Texas A&M community passes away,” the university said, adding that counseling and other support services were being made available to members of the campus community.

The Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office also thanked the public for the extraordinary amount of support shown to Sheriff Stallman and his family throughout Austin’s hospitalization.

“The immense outpouring of love, support, and encouragement” helped keep the family and department strong during the ordeal, the sheriff’s office said.

Austin’s mother, Jeanna Stallman, later shared an emotional tribute to her son.

“We did not get the miracle we wanted and our hearts are broken,” she wrote.

She said she would miss looking into her son’s eyes for the rest of her life but took comfort in believing he was now free from pain.

“I am so blessed I got to be Austin’s mom,” she wrote, remembering the tremendous joy he brought to her and to others throughout his short life.

Austin had previously attended Angleton High School, where he played football before continuing his education at Texas A&M.

His death has left both his university community and his father’s law-enforcement community mourning a young man who appeared to be pursuing an intensely demanding goal.

Exactly what circumstances contributed to the medical emergency beyond the reported heatstroke and rhabdomyolysis has not been publicly detailed.

For now, the sheriff’s office has asked the community to continue supporting the Stallman family as they grieve the loss of their 21-year-old son.