Kentucky town in shock after cheerleader, 13, dies before competition

FORT THOMAS, Ky. — A Kentucky community is in shock, mourning the death of a 13-year-old student who died just before a cheerleading competition Saturday.

Lilliana Schalck, of Fort Thomas, was preparing to perform in a competition in Columbus, Ohio, when she told teammates she felt sick and that her limbs tingled, WCPO reported.

Lilliana was taken to a hospital, where she died less than two hours later, the television station reported. The cause of the eighth-grader’s death has not been released.

Fort Thomas Independent Schools held a vigil for Lilliana on Sunday night at the Highland Middle School's gym, WDRB reported.

Lilliana was a flyer on her squad, her father, Dan Schalck, told WCPO Monday night. At just 4 feet, 10 inches tall and 80 pounds, she was an ideal size for being tossed in the air and standing atop human pyramids during routines.

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"Lilliana is exactly what we want a Highlands student-athlete to be," Kevin Nieporte, the athletic director at Highlands High School, told WLWT. "She's kind and nice to everyone and super athletic and a fine student. An excellent representative for Highlands High School and Highlands Middle School Cheer."

"Everybody liked her," Schalck told WCPO. "She was supportive on the mat. Doing her thing, she was fierce, but when it comes to anyone else, she was very supportive."

Lilliana's coach, Rosalind Schmidt, told WKRC the whole team is devastated.

“She was pretty on the inside and beautiful on the inside, and we want to keep paying remembrance to her and how much joy she brought to people in this gym," Schmidt told the television station.

Cox Media Group