In a heart-wrenching turn of events, an eight-year-old cheerleader from Nebraska, known for her joyful spirit, has tragically passed away following a severe brain hemorrhage. Her grieving parents have pointed fingers at both her cheer coaches and a doctor, attributing blame for their daughter’s untimely death.

Reese Bryan, a vibrant member of the Omaha Elite Cheer team, was reportedly pushed to perform intricate flips, handsprings, and other demanding tumbling routines, despite her known neurological condition, according to her family’s assertions. The underlying cause of her vulnerability, a brain tumor, was left undiagnosed, which the family claims was due in part to a doctor’s refusal to conduct an essential imaging scan.

In the weeks leading up to her death, Reese was compelled to participate in a Kansas City competition, her family revealed. The situation took a dire turn when, on January 29, 2024, Reese collapsed at her cheer facility. The family’s complaint accuses the coaches of neglect, stating that they failed to provide assistance and instead left the young girl suffering alone, hidden from view behind mats.

Reese exhibited alarming symptoms such as vomiting and facial drooping, prompting her mother to rush her to the hospital upon picking her up that day. Tragically, Reese remained hospitalized until she succumbed to her condition on February 23, 2024. Her passing has left a void in her family and community, sparking questions about the responsibilities of those entrusted with her care and well-being.

Their complaint alleges that coaches also failed to help Bryan after she collapsed at their facility nine days later, on January 29, 2024, and instead watched her ‘suffer’ and even left her ‘alone and concealed behind mats’.    

Bryan suffered a series of troubling symptoms including vomiting and facial drooping, and her mother rushed her to hospital when she picked her up that day, where she remained until her death on February 23, 2024. 

Her parents accused the company of failing to call 911 despite knowing that Reese suffered from a ‘neurological condition’. The name of the condition is not specified in the lawsuit.  

‘Elite and its owners, its employees and agents knew from recent past experiences that Reese vomiting during cheer or tumbling constitutes a need to have her transported on an emergency basis to a hospital,’ the complaint seen by the Daily Mail states. 

Reese Bryan, 8, was suffering from an underlying brain tumor that went undiagnosed and untreated while she remained a committed member of the Elite Cheer team in Omaha

A series of troubling symptoms resulted in the young girl’s hospitalization before she tragically passed away from a huge brain bleed in early 2024

The owners, coaches and employees also allegedly threatened to remove the young girl from some of her star flyer positions ‘if she failed to adequately perform and participate in tumbling and other activities.’ 

After their daughter had collapsed and vomited on January 29, 2024, Bryan’s parents took her to her pediatrician Dr Lars Vanderbur. 

According to the complaint, Bryan had suffered from ‘dizziness, horizontal nystagmus, ptosis on the right eye, and tested positive for strep throat.’ 

She was given antibiotics, but her symptoms persisted and her father took her back to the doctor’s office. 

However, Vanderbur diagnosed ‘post-infection fatigue’ and refused to perform cranial imaging scans despite ‘all these symptoms,’ court documents stated. 

‘She was never ordered an MRI, CAT scan, nothing,’ her mother, Amanda Bryan, told KETV.  

Then, nine days later, she complained of feeling ‘dizzy, imbalanced, unable to stand, unable to walk…unable to hear,’ and ‘displayed facial asymmetry reminiscent of a stroke on January 29, 2024’, the complaint said. 

‘The left side of her face was drooping,’ Bryan’s mom told the outlet. 

‘She was slurring her words. She couldn’t stand up. She was shaking uncontrollably. She was cold.’

The complaint claimed that, ‘despite all these symptoms,’ Bryan was ‘abandoned’ by her cheer coaches and ‘concealed behind mats,’ as fellow teammates were told by personnel not to approach her.

Reese Bryan (pictured) was suffering from an underlying brain tumor that went undiagnosed while she remained a committed member of the Elite Cheer team in Omaha

Bryan was described as a ‘vibrant, loving, beautiful, caring, generous, beat of an athlete, smart, AMAZING little girl’

Bryan complained of feeling ‘dizzy, imbalanced, unable to stand, unable to walk…unable to hear,’ and displayed facial asymmetry reminiscent of a stroke on January 29, 2024

‘[Bryan] suffered as the minutes passed by ongoing and growingly irreversible neurological insult as a result of her brain bleeding,’ the court document added. 

‘[She] sustained progressively worse neurological damage as she lay alone, eyes shut … and unable to move on Elite Cheer’s mat.’

Bryan’s mother said: ‘Had you seen what I walked into, anyone in their right mind would have looked at our child and knew she needed help, and she needed it now.’ 

It was then that the young girl was rushed to hospital by her mother, where she remained for three weeks before she passed away on February 23, 2024. 

‘She really was extraordinary,’ Amanda Bryan told KETV. ‘She was an all-star cheerleader and really good for her age of eight, not only that, but as a softball player too.’

‘Her energy was so contagious. Everyone said that she was their best friend,’ she continued. ‘There’s not a day I don’t think about her. I wish she was still with us because she should be.’ 

Bryan was remembered on a GoFundMe page as a ‘vibrant, loving, beautiful, caring, generous, beat of an athlete, smart, AMAZING little girl.’

Her obituary said: ‘Re Re was a special eight year old girl who made an impression on everyone who knew her. She lived a short life but her impact was HUGE. 

The complaint accused Elite cheer, its employees and Vanderbur of medical malpractice and negligence. The grieving parents have requested a jury trial

According to a complaint filed by Bryan’s parents, Elite Cheer and her doctor allegedly ignored symptoms and her coaches forced her to perform at a competition weeks before her death

‘Reese was a one of a kind talented sweet girl! She lived life to the fullest with an infectious smile, a little bit of sassiness and was fearless.’

‘She was the cheer athlete and softball player she was because of her fearlessness. She didn’t know any better. She was just being Reese. She had that “IT” factor about her and she lived life not caring about that at all. Reese loved just being a kid.’

Bryan’s parents accused Elite Cheer of having caused Bryan physical pain, mental suffering, aggravation and worsening of her neurological condition, and neurological damage from the delay in emergency care, the complaint stated. 

Elite Cheer’s attorneys told KETV: ‘Elite Cheer was deeply saddened by Reese’s passing, and their thoughts and prayers remain with the Bryan family. 

‘Due to ongoing legal proceedings, Elite Cheer is unable to comment further. Out of respect for the Bryan family and their expressed wish for privacy, Elite Cheer refrains from additional comment.’

Children’s Physicians told the outlet on behalf of Vanderbur: ‘Children’s Physicians does not comment on pending litigation. 

‘Our top priority is delivering safe, high-quality care, which we strive to provide for every child we treat. Our thoughts are with this family.’

The complaint accused Elite cheer, its employees and Vanderbur of medical malpractice and negligence. The grieving parents have requested a jury trial. 

‘We want justice for Reese so bad,’ her mother said. 

Neither defendant has filed formal answers.