Tragic Loss: 11-Year-Old Karate Student Dies of Heart Attack During Competition

The emotion is strong within the small municipal school of Ressaix since this tragedy that occurred in Boussu during the Hainaut Cup of karate. Ahmed, 11 years old, a student in this school and a member of the karate club of Morlanwelz-Carnières, died on Sunday at the Hornu hospital after suffering a heart attack during the competition.

Upon hearing the sad news, the school management and teaching staff mobilized to comfort the students. "My son understands like a child his age... He never talks much. However, he took the trouble to explain to me that they had the opportunity to talk about it with people other than their teachers. The educational team has, in any case, been great. Especially since it’s also a big blow for them," confides the mother of one of Ahmed’s classmates to Sud Info.

The school wants to pay a worthy tribute to the young Moroccan. "Monday was very disrupted. Apart from setting up a condolence register, we didn’t think much about the tribute we were going to pay to Ahmed. We met the parents on Tuesday evening to find out their wishes. For the moment, we don’t know anything about the funeral. We will organize a balloon release this Wednesday at the end of the day at the school," said the school principal, who took office just last Thursday.

The new principal admits not knowing Ahmed well. "I didn’t know him well, but all the people who talk to me about him are unanimous: he was a charming, very pleasant and very kind boy. He had been a student at this school for several years." The karate club also wants to pay tribute to Ahmed. In the meantime, a condolence book is open there.