Oregon State's Earnest Killum: `Dying Doesn't Faze Me'

Shock, mourning, denial.

Reaction to Earnest Killum's death yesterday was predictable.

But the way the Oregon State basketball player faced the possibility of dying from a possible congenital artery disease was anything but predictable. Killum, who died three days after suffering a major stroke, faced death the way he took on opposing defenses - directly and without fear.

Killum suffered his second stroke in six months Friday shortly before a scheduled practice with the Oregon State basketball team and an hour after he concluded what would be his final interview.

"I don't feel like I'm taking a chance playing basketball," Killum told a Los Angeles Times reporter during the interview, a conclusion with which his doctor agrees. "I'm not worried about nothing happening to me at all."

He recently told the Long Beach Press-Telegram: "Dying? It doesn't faze me. Anything could happen to me at any time."

Killum, 20, was pronounced dead at 3 p.m. yesterday at Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital in Inglewood, Calif., after a massive stroke.

The 6-foot-4 sophomore guard suffered a mild stroke last July. He was cleared to rejoin the team Dec. 27 and scored 13 points against USC last Thursday. He collapsed in his hotel room Friday and slipped into a coma Sunday.

An autopsy was scheduled today. Results aren't expected to be available for several days.

Carl J. Orfuss, a neurologist at the hospital where Killum was treated, believes Killum suffered from a disease called arteritis, an inflammation of the arteries. Two of Killum's relatives died at young ages under similar circumstances.

Teammates, coaches and opposing players took the news hard.

"It was like losing a brother," said Canaan Chatman, his teammate and close friend. "This is the first time that anything like this ever happened to me. When I first heard it, I couldn't believe it was true. It's hard to believe that this is really happening.

A lot of people loved him and a lot of people are going to be hurt by this."

OSU Coach Jim Anderson said in a prepared statement: "I have a very empty feeling. . . . We all loved Earnest dearly, and that's what makes it such a huge loss."

Killum's father said he was glad his son's pain is over. "I saw him last night (Sunday). I knew he heard me," he said. "He was unable to talk. I'm relieved because he's not suffering."

Said USC guard Harold Miner, who played against Killum in high school: "He had such a bright future and for something like this to happen, I was just shocked. . . . Forget basketball, he was just such a good person."

Juaquin Hawkins, who played alongside Killum in high school, said he had a premonition about Killum's death.

"I was having a dream about him when I was taking a nap," he said, "and then I woke up and saw he died on the TV, and I just broke down."

Oregon State is scheduled to play Washington in Corvallis Thursday. That game may be postponed depending when the burial will be. The players want to attend the funeral in Los Angeles.