Friends coming together for family of 8-year-old who died

Friends of the family of an 8-year-old Minden Elementary School student, who collapsed and died Saturday while practicing flag football, are coming together to help.

"We're making sure they are taken care of," said Minden Elementary Principal Ken Stoll.

Stoll said co-workers and friends are coming together to help out any way they can. He said there is a sign up sheet in the office of Minden Elementary where parents and friends can sign up to cook meals for the family.

He also said an account has been set up at Bank of America to assist the family financially.

Brit Mattinson was a student in his mother's third-grade class. Robyn Mattinson has been teaching at Minden since 1996. Her husband and Britton's father, Donovan Mattinson, teaches science at Douglas High School.

"We had a staff meeting Sunday, and it was amazing in itself that people came in," said Stoll. "Everyone from custodians to teachers showed up to help."

Stoll said extra counselors were assigned to Minden Elementary School on Monday morning. He said counselors were placed in classrooms where students had personal ties to Brit.

He said prior to Monday the school had notified as many parents as it could, letting them know what had happened and allowing them to prepare their children for a difficult week.

Stoll also said that during recess on Monday, students of all ages used chalk to write and draw tributes to Brit all over the playground.

"The outpouring has been phenomenal," Stoll said. "Everyone knew Brit. He was so nice, bright and funny, such a unique great little guy."

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office and East Fork Fire District responded to a call at 10:23 a.m. on Saturday. Arriving on the scene, the grassy area near the Douglas County School District Office, authorities said they found a young male who had collapsed during a flag football practice.

Authorities said the victim was immediately transported to Minden Medical Center where a Care Flight helicopter was on scene preparing to transport the victim to Reno.

But according to authorities resuscitation efforts made at Minden Medical Center were unsuccessful, and the boy was pronounced dead at 11:35 a.m.

As of now, the cause of death is unknown, but an autopsy by the deputy coroner is scheduled for today.

You can help

Anyone interested in making donations or helping in any way can contact the following people:

Minden Elementary School

• Monica Hart - 782-5510

Douglas High School

• Dori Draper, Jeanne Turnbeaugh or Keith Cole - 782-5136