Teenage Georgia high school baseball star Jeremy Medina dies days after doctors declared him brain dead when freak batting cage accident left him in a com

A Georgia high school baseball star has died days after doctors declared him brain dead in a freak batting cage accident.

Jeremy Medina, 18, was on life support at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville after he was hit in the head with a bat and put into a coma on Nov. 20.

The teen's family announced Monday that his heart stopped.

“Unfortunately, his heart stopped last night about an hour before Grandma arrived. We know that Jeremy has always been and will be in God's hands and that we will see him soon,” said a family statement shared on Facebook on Tuesday.

Gainesville High School principal Jamie Green explained that the accident happened when Medina leaned against the batting cage net as a batter swung.

Medina's family announced his tragic death in an emotional post just days after he was declared brain dead.

“Following last week's press conference and the decision to support Jeremy's wish for organ donation, we began the process of applying for a visa for his grandmother so that she could travel to us for the parade of honor,” it said.

“Unfortunately, his heart stopped last night about an hour before Grandma arrived. We know that Jeremy was and will always be in God's hands and that we will see him soon.

“We are grateful for all the prayers and support over the past three weeks, and we appreciate everyone's understanding as we now take time to be with our family.”

Funeral plans for the teen have not yet been announced, but his family said they would share updates on tributes to him.

Medina, who played as a pitcher and catcher, was put into a medically induced coma after being hit in the head.

Dr. Michael Cormican, hospital director of surgical intensive care, explained during a news conference on December 6 how the medical team made the decision to declare the student brain dead.

Through a 'highly disciplined' process, doctors looked for evidence of brain function through reflexes and breathing and used imaging to assess blood flow to the brain. He was pronounced dead on Sunday.

“The initial trauma to his head was significant and caused him to lose consciousness, and as he lost consciousness he lost his ability to maintain his airway,” Cormican said.

He said Medina's prognosis was “not unique” to a significant head injury.

The teen's father, David Medina, uncle Efrahim “Frank” Medina, aunt Ludin DeAza and brother David Jr. were all present at the conference, along with dozens of supporters.

Medina's relatives sat with their heads bowed. At one point, David Jr. pulled out. his sweatshirt over his face as he cried.

The family previously announced that it would honor Medina's wish to donate his organs.

“Before his passing, Jeremy made the decision to give the gift of life by registering as an organ and tissue donor when he received his driver's license,” Frank Medina said.

“Not only will lives be saved and improved, the families, friends and communities of those who receive his organs and tissues will be forever impacted by the memories made possible by a second chance at life.”

Frank Medina added that loved ones will take a walk of honor with Medina's body as it is taken to the operating room for organ donation procedures, after which he will be buried.

Principal Green said counselors and social workers will be available to students and staff to support them “for as long as needed.”

He thanked Medina's family for informing the teen's baseball teammates, coaches and teachers of his death earlier that morning.

“You have been a great inspiration to us, with your faith and your leadership,” Green said. “It has helped me lead this school community through this very challenging time.”

Cormican also praised their strength and said he was particularly moved as he himself was the father of a teenage boy.

“It was inspiring to see how they handled this with grace and prayer,” Cormican said.

When David Medina took the stage and introduced himself as “Jeremy's dad,” his voice cracked.

He said the family had leaned on their religious faith during the heartbreaking ordeal and insisted his son's injuries were the result of an accident.

The same day, Gainesville High School posted a message that read in part: “Jeremy Medina's life will forever impact the lives of our entire community. His death will mean a new life as an organ donor for many others. Please continue to pray for the Medina family.”

Included in the post was a photo of Medina's senior yearbook and an accompanying portrait.

Gainesville Theater Troupe 2445 announced that their Dec. 6 performance of Cinderella would be held in honor of the baseball star, and that a portion of the boutique sales would go to Medina's family.

Community members rallied around Medina and his family long before the announcement of his death.

Supporters used the hashtags '#pray4jeremy' and '#OneGainesville' as they waited with bated breath for him to recover.

Adam Miller, Medina's former coach, called the teen a “great kid, great teammate and great ball player” in a Facebook post.

“His smile and love for the game is something I will never forget. He and his family have been a blessing to me,” Miller wrote, encouraging others to pray for him.

The 18-year-old's love for the sport was evident on social media, where he regularly posted photos of himself in his baseball uniform.

Medina's brother, a fellow baseball player, posted a video of the duo roughing it as kids to his Instagram Story a few days after the accident.

The video was captioned: “Please wake up for me.”