Fifteen-year-old Dakarai Tucker died yesterday afternoon from complications stemming from a brain aneurysm he suffered nearly two weeks ago.

The news stunned his friends and teachers at Warwick Academy who had spent the day raising $23,000 to help the prominent young footballer and his family.

Soon after the news spread friends spotted a rainbow over the school. Classmate Bryden Pedro took a photo of the rainbow and posted it on a Facebook group created for Dakarai.

Bryden wrote: "Today a great friend who was loved by many pass in to heaven leaving us behind... if everyone could pray and pray for the one and only Dakarai for he is the person who made many peoples lives happy and just that touch of fun."

Principal Robert Lennox received a phone call from Dawna Tucker, Dakarai's mother, at 3.10 p.m. to tell him that Dakarai had passed away at approximately 2.30 p.m. local time.

His closest friends were told first and then a meeting was held to inform the staff.

"It is a very tragic situation," Mr. Lennox said. "Dakarai was one of those students who was good at whatever he turned his hand to.

"He was a good student with As and Bs. He was extremely well liked inside and outside of school and everybody knows that football was where he really shined. We've grown to know the Tucker family more during the last two weeks and they are a wonderful family. I have already told them how sorry we are.

"When I spoke to Mrs. Tucker she thanked the Warwick Academy community and Bermuda community for all the prayers, concerns and donations they have received since Dakarai was rushed overseas. They are overwhelmed and thankful for the community's response."

Mr. Lennox added that Dakarai had been on everyones' minds for the last two weeks.

The school day started each morning with voluntary prayers for Dakarai and yesterday they held a grub day to raise money to help cover his medical bills.

Mr. Lennox expected it to raise more than their regular grub days which usually raise $2,000 — $3,000 but he had no idea that the 760 students would raise $18,000 and the Parent Teacher Association would donate $5,000.

"It just goes to show what a close, family community we are here at Warwick Academy," he said. "Everybody reached out in and extraordinary fashion."

He added that the school has postponed the Year 11 exams, which were supposed to start on Monday, to allow Dakarai's friends time to grieve.

Dakarai went to school on January 14 feeling fine, but by lunch time he had a severe headache, shortly after he began to feel nauseous.

His parents were called but before they could reach the school Dakarai had collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.

Within hours he was medivacked off the Island and taken to Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital in Baltimore.

The family learned that a blood vessel in his brain had ruptured. Doctors were unable to operate on the vessel because Dakarai's brain was too swollen.

His mother and father, Stephen, remained by Dakarai's bedside while he was in a coma for eleven days.

His uncle Bruce DeGrilla was also in Baltimore with them.

Dakarai is one of five children.