A 21-year-old football player from Jackson State had to be resuscitated after suffering cardiac arrest on Wednesday morning.

Kaseem Vauls, a defensive lineman for Jackson State in 2022, went to the University of Mississippi Medical Center on Tuesday night with stomach pain. On Wednesday morning, he suffered cardiac arrest and had to be placed on a ventilator.

He underwent surgery that afternoon. As of Thursday night, Vauls is reportedly in critical, yet stable condition.

Vauls’ father, William, reported on the doctor’s explanation for his son’s stomach pain ahead of the cardiac arrest. He said, “What the doctors think happened, that when Kaseem’s heart was failing, that’s what was giving him the stomach pains. His liver was suffering as fluid built up with toxins in his liver, kidneys, and blood. All those toxins built up in his bloodstream, and his heart could not operate properly, and the machine is being used to clean out the blood and toxins.”

William has posted updates on his son’s condition via Twitter.

Late Thursday morning, William used his son’s Twitter account to announce that Vauls is “progressing” after the emergency procedure. He added that the doctors have gradually lowered his medication and “input of the machine” that he’s attached to “so his organs can rest and not work so hard.”

He also reported that the doctors “will lower down the sedation so he can wake up on his own, but that might be until day four on the machine.”

The machine is so his organs can rest and not work so hard. Then they will lower down the sedation so he can wake up on his own but that might be until day 4 on the machine. I greatly appreciate all you guys for out pour of love and prayers and phone calls and support for my son!

— Kaseem Vauls (@KVauls52) February 16, 2023

Vauls’ heart attack comes just six weeks after the unusual cardiac arrest case of 24-year-old NFL player Damar Hamlin, who went into cardiac arrest on the field during a Monday Night Football game.