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What Happened to James Oliver? The Geneva High School Freshman Swimmer Died From an AVM Stroke

Illinois: Geneva High School Swimmer Passed Away after Suffering Stroke During Practice.

James Oliver, a Geneva High School freshman and aspiring swimmer, received a fatal arteriovenous malformation (AVM) stroke at his swim practice on December 8, 2023. He was rushed to the hospital and has been in critical care since then. Despite the best efforts of medical staff, he passed away on December 17, 2023, surrounded by loved ones. His family announced the sad news on a GoFundMe page established to help the family with the financial burden.

“The Oliver family is heartbroken to say that James passed away peacefully at 7 pm, Sunday, December 17, at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.”

Who was James Oliver?

James Oliver was a junior at Geneva High School. He was an aspiring swimmer. He was a member of the junior varsity swim team for the West Chicago Co-op. He also swam for the West Chicago Sharks Swim Club, training with Coach Jennifer Heyer-Olsen.
Heyer-Olsen described Oliver as ‘fun-loving, helpful, kind, hard-working, respectful, and an absolute joy to coach.” According to her, Oliver was ‘active with his youth group, loved to collect and trade sports cards, and enjoyed fishing.”

What happened to James Oliver?

James Oliver, a freshman at Geneva High School in Geneva, Illinois, suffered a brain hemorrhage and stroke during swim practice on December 8, 2023. He had been admitted to Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and was battling for his life. Sadly, he lost his battle and passed away on December 17, 2023, surrounded by family. According to a GoFundMe page established to help support the expenses associated with his care, he was born with a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a condition where the blood vessels in the brain don’t form correctly.

The Geneva High School released a statement regarding his tragic death. They informed the parents, students, and staff members of the tragedy and extended their thoughts to the grieving family.

“As a school community, our thoughts are with his brother, Sean, a GHS junior, his family and friends, and our hearts are mourning this loss.”

The school also encouraged the affected students to avail themselves of the support offered by the Student Services team during the school day and after school. The students can also visit the Counseling and Advising office.
Survived by

Oliver is survived by his parents, Moll and Rob, brother Sean, a junior at GHS and varsity swimmer for the West Chicago Co-op, and his grandparents Diane and Bob Oliver, of Downers Grove, and Mary Jo and Time Dailey, of Winfield.

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Lorie Orum

Update: 2024-05-19