Who was Michael Roebuck New Stanton? Basketball Referee Dies

Michael Roebuck was a referee who collapsed and died during an ongoing basketball game in New Stanton on Friday, February 2nd.

Roebuck collapsed at halftime during a junior varsity boys basketball game at Mt. Pleasant.

He was later pronounced dead!

Paramedics tried to resuscitate Roebuck for nearly an hour but he died on the way to the hospital.

His dead has piqued interest in him and after our investigatons, we provide what we know of Michael Roebuck New Stanton below.

Who was Michael Roebuck New Stanton?

Michael Roebuck New Stanton was a basketball referee who died during a junior varsity game involving Yough at Mt Pleasant.

Roebuck collapsed at halftime during the game and could not be resuscitated despite over an hour’s efforts by paramedics.

Michael Fleming, another official at the game said officials were leaving the dressing room when Roebuck collapsed.

“The first thing I thought of was we have to get him help,” Fleming said. “I ran out to get a trainer.

“It was chaos. I just met the guy. The Mt. Pleasant people did an excellent job.”

Mt. Pleasant superintendent Tim Gabauer later confirmed Roebuck died.

“This is terrible,” George said. “He was new and I saw him recently and he said how much he enjoyed officiating. This puts what we do in perspective.”

So who was Michael Roebuck New Stanton?

In his day job, Michael Roebuck was Production Supervisor at the Messer Group in New Stanton.

It’s a role he held for five years prior to his death from November 2018 till present.

Previously roles invlude as an area supervisor with the Eastman Chemical Company and a Manufacturing Engineer with DuPont.

Michael Roebuck New Stanton was a graduate of Penn State University where he got a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering in 2002.

Michael Roebuck New Stanton was married to his wife Jerica and had two kids Kaelyn Roebuck, 16, and Luke Roebuck, 14.

“To know Mike was to love Mike. He was special,” Jerica Roebuck, his wife, told WPXI-TV Pittsburgh.

“Mike loved life. He did. He loved everything. He truly never had a bad day. But what he loved most were Kaelyn and Luke.”

The kids said their dad coached kids all over the state and had been coaching them since they were toddlers.

“I’ll never forget the car rides home, talking to him about how I did, what I needed to do better,” Luke said.

Kaelyn said she’ll mostly miss her dad’s advice and goofy personality.

“You had a bad day at school, and you came home and didn’t feel like talking to anybody, he was always doing something that made you laugh and made your day a little bit better,” she said.

The county coroner confirmed that Mike Roebuck died after suffering an acute cardiac event.

Mt. Pleasant Superintendent Tim Gabauer released a statement on the passing of referee Michael Roebuck.

“Our school community is deeply saddened by the death of Mr. Roebuck during halftime of the Junior Varsity basketball game,” he said.

“Despite the immediate medical response and efforts of our first responders, Mr. Roebuck tragically passed away due to the severity of the emergency.

“Our thoughts, prayers and deepest sympathies are with Mr. Roebuck’s family and friends,” he concluded.

According to sportswriter Bill Beckner, Michael Roebuck is a Yough alum.

He wrote on X: “Michael Roebuck, the referee who passed away last night, is a Yough alum.

“He is the uncle of recent Yough 3-sport athlete Gavin Roebuck, now a baseball player at Saint Vincent,” he added.

Michael Roebuck, the referee who passed away last night, is a Yough alum.

He is the uncle of recent Yough 3-sport athlete Gavin Roebuck, now a baseball player at Saint Vincent.@YoughAthletics @TribLiveHSSN @BaseballSVC
— Bill Beckner (@BillBeckner) February 3, 2024

Michael Roebuck obituary

Michael Roebuck was a 46-year-old referee from New Stanton, Pennsylvania, who died after collapsing during a high school basketball game on February 2, 2024.

He was a first-year official who loved the game and enjoyed officiating.

Roebuck was about to take the court for the second half of a junior varsity game between Yough and Mount Pleasant at Mount Pleasant Area High School when he fell to the floor.

He was immediately attended by the school’s trainer and paramedics, who tried to resuscitate him for nearly an hour. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The cause of Roebuck’s death has been officially confirmed as an acute cardiac event.

He had no known medical history or pre-existing conditions that could have triggered the event. His family and friends said he was in good shape and had no signs of illness or distress before the game.

Mike Roebuck and his wife, Jerica, were both in attendance at the game were he died.

Jerica said she doesn’t often attend his games but was around for the fateful one where he passed.

“It was tough,” she said. “It will be tough for probably the rest of my life, but in a lot of ways, I’m thankful I was there and close.”

Roebuck’s death shocked and saddened the refereeing community, as well as the players, coaches, fans and school officials who witnessed the incident.

He was described as a friendly, respectful and dedicated referee who had a passion for the sport.

Many people expressed their condolences and tributes to Roebuck and his family on social media and in person.

A moment of silence was held before the varsity game between Yough and Mount Pleasant, which was postponed to the next day.

The referees who worked the game wore black armbands in his honor.

“Anybody who was lucky enough to have known Mike, take what he taught you and carry it on and pay it forward,” said Jerica. “The world could use a couple more Coach Mikes.”

Roebuck’s death also raised some questions and concerns about the health and safety of referees and other sports officials, who often face physical and mental stress while performing their duties.

Some suggested that referees should undergo regular medical check-ups and screenings, as well as receive training on how to handle emergency situations.

Others called for more respect and appreciation for the referees, who often face criticism and abuse from players, coaches and fans.

Roebuck’s death was a tragic loss for the refereeing community and the basketball community at large.

He was a devoted and enthusiastic referee who had a bright future ahead of him. He will be remembered and missed by many who knew him and worked with him.

Athletes collapsing and dying on sport fields

The death of Michael Roebuck New Stanton was also one of several cases of athletes and sports officials who have collapsed and died due to cardiac events in recent weeks and months. Some of the other examples are:

Amari Crite: Amari Crite died at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.

The Momence High School freshman was on the court during a junior varsity game against Tri-Point High School when she collapsed.

Crite was an athlete who participated in volleyball, basketball and cheerleading, Amari also played the guitar and piano, according to her obituary, which said she enjoyed drawing and doing hair.

Christian Eriksen, a Danish soccer player who collapsed during a Euro 2020 match against Finland on June 12, 2021. He was revived by CPR and a defibrillator and taken to a hospital, where he recovered and had a heart implant. He later returned to his club, Inter Milan, and resumed playing.

Marc-Vivien Foé, a Cameroonian soccer player who collapsed and died during a Confederations Cup match against Colombia on June 26, 2003. He suffered a cardiac arrest caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a hereditary condition that thickens the heart muscle.

Antonio Puerta, a Spanish soccer player who collapsed during a La Liga match against Getafe on August 25, 2007. He suffered a series of cardiac arrests and died three days later in a hospital. He had a rare condition called arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, which causes abnormal heart rhythms.

Phil O’Donnell, a Scottish soccer player who collapsed and died during a Scottish Premier League match against Dundee United on December 29, 2007. He suffered a heart attack caused by coronary artery disease, which blocks the blood flow to the heart.

Cristiano Junior, a Brazilian soccer player who collapsed and died during an Indian National Football League match against Mohun Bagan on December 5, 2004. He collided with the goalkeeper and suffered a cardiac arrest. He had a congenital heart defect that was undetected.

New Stanton

New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,339 at the 2020 census.

New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) eastbound towards Breezewood in New Stanton, and is a free highway westbound.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 4.0 square miles (10 km2), of which 3.9 square miles (10 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (1.26%) is water.

Most of New Stanton is surrounded by Hempfield Township and the borough has two other borders: with Youngwood to the northeast and Hunker to the south-southwest.

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