Neal Carroll III, a former Siegel basketball player, dies from complications from heart transplant

A failed heart wasn't going to end Neal Carroll III's young life before he even reached high school.

It wasn't going to prevent him from competing and excelling in his favorite sport.

Unfortunately, Carroll's young life still ended prematurely June 14 when he died at 27 because of complications from the heart transplant he received in 2005.

The former Siegel basketball standout was a candidate for a second heart transplant when he died Thursday, just a week after receiving a fibrillator to help with the rapidly deteriorating organ.

His mother, Marcia Carroll, said the second transplant probably never would have happened anyway.

"We had discussed another heart transplant, but honestly he didn't really want to have another one," Marcia Carroll said. "He didn't think he would do well."

That attitude is what made Carroll who he was and helped him live as normal as one could expect after having a heart transplant at age 14.

"Neal always went 100 percent," said Ben Dotson, who coached Carroll for three years at Siegel. "He just couldn't go as long as other guys. 

"He was an inspiration for all the guys. If guys got tired or were complaining, he would look at them and say, 'Really? You're tired?' He was a great young man to be around. He was great to coach."

A 6-foot-9 "Gentle Giant," as his family referred to him, Carroll's funeral arrangements are now set. A public viewing will be held Friday, June 22 from 2-6 p.m. at Hellum Funeral Chapel in Murfreesboro. A family visitation will be held Saturday from noon-1 p.m. with a funeral to follow at Olive Branch Church, 1115 Minerva Dr., Murfreesboro.

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the Carroll family. Marcia Carroll said those who are uncomfortable with GoFundMe pages could bring donations to the funeral home Friday or the funeral on Saturday.

'You can't take life for granted'

Despite having the heart condition for the past 14 years, Carroll's death still was somewhat sudden.

He hadn't felt well since early in the year, but in April he suffered two heart attacks. The second one landed him in the hospital, where he was in and out from then until his death last week.

"My heart just dropped," said former Siegel teammate Kerry Hammonds II, an MTSU standout and current director of operations for the Blue Raiders. "I was actually with a friend a week earlier and they were FaceTiming with each other and I got to talk to him.

How you can help: Donate to Neal's Heart

"That was the first thing that popped in my head (when I found out he died). You can't take life for granted. It's a crazy thing. His whole family are in our thoughts and prayers."

Carroll didn't take life for granted. He embraced it, despite having a stroke in 2004 at age 13, caused by a blood clot in his heart. It was determined the heart had failed, and he received a transplant in 2005.

Less than two years later, the homeschooled youth decided to attend Siegel to play high school basketball.

Basketball court Carroll's 'happy place'

"When he came to our school, he was taller than me (6-foot-5)," said Chris Harris, who was coach of the Stars when Carroll entered school as a sophomore. "He had basketball skills. I sat down and talked with (Marcia) and told her my reservations. She told me how much he wanted to play.

"I had a long talk with his cardiologist, and she cleared him to play. I knew we would really have to monitor him."

Added Marcia Carroll: "I couldn’t really go to his games. I was so afraid. I remember going to his last game. I was on pins and needles. After they took him out of the game, they gave him a standing ovation."

Carroll, who received prestigious Courage Awards from both The Daily News Journal and Nashville Sports Council, didn't disappoint, not as a player or a teammate.

"He was a great kid," Harris said. "He was a good basketball player. He had so much potential that he could have gone a lot farther if not for the heart situation. 

"Just to think about what a person that age had to deal with. You’re getting a transplant and are only guaranteed so many years and at some point you may need another heart or maybe have 10, 15 years. That’s a lot of weight to carry around and have a great attitude. What he did was a true testament to his mother, family and support system."

Marcia Carroll was appreciative of the extra years she was able to spend with her son and wants people to remember him for being a fighter and being a positive influence on many.

"You never met a nicer person," she said. "He was going to play basketball regardless. He had a love for basketball. That's why he went to (Siegel)."

Added Hammonds, "When he got on the court, it had a stronger meaning than just to him. It was about the people around him. The game brought him such joy and happiness. He didn't have to think about his health anymore. It was his happy place."

Reach Cecil Joyce at cjoyce@dnj.com or 615-278-5168 and on Twitter @Cecil_Joyce.