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Rio Grande baseball mourns the loss of one of its own
Isaac Venzor Prado, a junior at Rio Grande High and member of the school鈥檚 baseball team, died Tuesday, two days after he collapsed while exercising at the school. He was 17.
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A beloved member of Rio Grande High School鈥檚 varsity baseball team died early Tuesday morning.
Isaac Venzor Prado, 17, passed away at about 1 a.m. Tuesday at University of New Mexico Hospital, Ravens coach Orlando Griego said.
The doctors said Venzor Prado had 鈥渁n old person鈥檚 heart; the outer layers had hardened,鈥� according to Griego.
Venzor Prado, a junior, collapsed while exercising Sunday at Rio Grande High, Griego said.
鈥淗e was running around the track, and his heart stopped,鈥� Griego said Tuesday.
Two of his classmates who were working out with him Sunday but were leaving the facility noticed that Venzor Prado had collapsed and rushed to administer CPR, Griego said. An ambulance arrived minutes later and transported him to UNMH.
Venzor Prado transferred into Rio Grande a few weeks after the start of the current school year.
鈥淚saac was just an amazing kid to be around in general,鈥� said one of his teammates, senior Lane Shrader. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what it was, but he felt like a brother right away.鈥�
The team was informed by Venzor Prado鈥檚 mother within minutes of his passing.
鈥淭he best,鈥� Griego said of Venzor Prado. 鈥淟ast Saturday, I told him, 鈥楳an, I鈥檝e been coaching 29 years and I鈥檓 jealous because you鈥檙e the most handsome guy I ever coached.鈥欌��
And Venzor Prado was constantly working in an effort to contribute to the team, Griego noted.
鈥淗e was always at the gym, exercising, weightlifting. He was just always doing the right thing, trying to get better,鈥� Griego said. 鈥淗e was a super hard worker. I always tell my guys, it鈥檚 not what you do at practice, it鈥檚 the work you do outside of here that will make the difference.鈥�
Shrader said one day in the weight room, Venzor Prado came in and dead lifted about 300 pounds 鈥渓ike nothing. In jeans. He was a freak of nature, but also the most genuine sweet guy you鈥檇 ever meet. He was always cracking jokes, always lighting up the room. He was just a blessing to be around.鈥�
Rio Grande, with the full support of Eldorado, is planning a pregame honorary intentional walk to start the game before the official first pitch of the Ravens and Eagles at Eldorado on Wednesday afternoon, Griego said. Rio Grande canceled a game Monday versus Valley.
鈥淲e鈥檙e all in tears, every second of the day. It鈥檚 so hard thinking about going through the rest of this season without him,鈥� Shrader said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like we lost our own brother.鈥�
Shrader said the whole team is heartsick, but said the Rio Grande players wanted to play Wednesday to honor Venzor Prado.
鈥淲e want to win for Isaac. He would want us to go win for him,鈥� Shrader said. 鈥淎ll he wanted to do was go play the game. That was his passion.鈥�
Venzor Prado grew up playing baseball. He moved to Albuquerque from Nuevo Casas Grandes, Mexico, about two hours south of Deming, last summer, but was born in Albuquerque, according to Griego. He was a reserve outfielder and pitcher for Rio Grande.
And the Rio Grande baseball community, one of the state鈥檚 most tight-knit prep baseball groups, plans to rally around the family of this player, and this program.
鈥淥ur village is gonna help us get through this,鈥� Shrader said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how we roll.鈥�
There was no immediate information on Venzor Prado鈥檚 memorial service.
