Dunwoody high-schooler collapses, dies while running

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Grief counselors were on hand at Dunwoody High School Monday as students returned to class after spring break, missing one of their classmates.

At Dunwoody United Methodist Church, blue ribbon reminders of Phineas are all around.

According to Phineas Haq’s church family and friends, he was out on a run and passed out and hit his head. He later died.

“Today is a hard day, as they go back to school and to practice,” Dunwoody United Methodist Church youth minister Karen Bass said. “The young people who were a part of his life need each other now, more than they ever will.”

Bass said she’s known Haq since her son and Phineas were in pre-school together.

“I don’t want to say good, I don’t want to say nice because he was just a wonderful human,” Bass told Channel 2’s Lori Wilson.

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The church invited students into their youth room Sunday night, a chance for the kids to come together, remember Phineas and even write letters to Haq’s family before heading back to school Monday.

“Your amazing son will never be forgotten because we will carry him with us in every race, in every workout, from here forward,” Bass said reading one of the letters sent to Haq’s family.

“There’s answers that everybody wants, there’s questions that everybody has, and the most honest thing I can do is gather some kids together and say I don’t know. I have questions, I need answers,” said youth pastor Andrew Chappell.

Chappell said he has spoken to the family who takes comfort in knowing Phineas is looking down on them right now and is with his loving God.

Cox Media Group