Edmond school grieves after student's death

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

EDMOND, Okla. - It has been a tough day for students and faculty at Edmond Santa Fe High School, as they grieve over the loss of a star athlete and fellow student.

The sudden death of the beloved 16-year-old student, who died after an appendectomy, has nearly everyone heartbroken.

Heather Harkness was a junior at Edmond Santa Fe. She was a student who excelled and a standout on the school's volleyball team.

"Every time I saw Heather, she was always smiling. She worked really hard. She was an awesome teammate. She was a leader," Edmond Santa Fe Principal Jason Brown said.

Brown said Harkness was part of an outstanding volleyball team and she was one of the better players.

"Given that they are teenagers and they lost a classmate, a teammate, a friend at such a young age and they were not prepared for it at all," the Edmond Santa Fe principal said.

Brown said her death could have resulted from complications during the appendectomy.

"She was a good, shining example of the students here at Santa Fe," Brown said.

The school has a volleyball tournament scheduled this weekend that Heather would have played in, but the school has not decided if those games will be played.