Georgia family mourns beloved 11‑year‑old who died while playing basketball

A Georgia family is mourning the sudden death of 11‑year‑old Emmanuela Datsa, who collapsed while playing basketball at Peachtree Middle School on Sept. 9.

Emmanuela Datsa, Georgia 11‑year‑old, died while playing basketball

School officials said to Rough Draft Atlanta that Datsa suffered a medical emergency during an after‑school game. Relatives later shared that she experienced an asthma attack before collapsing.

Her sister wrote on GoFundMe that the loss happened “so suddenly” and that the family is struggling to understand how an ordinary evening turned into tragedy. The post said the child had been active and smiling earlier that day.

Family Mourns Beloved 11-year-old

Emmanuela’s parents and siblings are trying to process the devastating and unexpected loss. Her sister, Mirabel Datsa, described the family’s emotional state in the fundraiser.

“I’m raising funds for my sister after she died at just 11 years old while playing basketball last night,” she wrote.

“Everything is still all over the place right now, and our family is trying to process a loss that happened so suddenly.”

She added that their mother cries whenever she hears Emmanuela’s name.

“My mom is devastated, and any mention of my sister’s name leaves her in tears for hours. My father is trying to stay calm on the outside, but I can tell he is losing his mind with grief,” she wrote.

Her younger brother is also struggling.

“My little brother is only 9 years old and does not understand what death means, which makes this even harder for all of us to carry.”

Fundraiser Helps Cover Funeral Costs

The GoFundMe campaign is helping cover funeral expenses and ease the family’s financial burden. Mirabel said she launched the fundraiser “to help with her funeral and to give my family some support as we try to start life over after losing her.”

As of this week, the fundraiser has raised more than $29,000 toward its $35,000 goal.