Beechwood student Mason Bushelman, 16, dies from complications of seizure; memorial Tuesday

Students and teachers at Beechwood High School gathered together on the football field Friday night for a vigil to honor a freshman student and football player who died Thursday.

Mason Bushelman, 16, had a rare form of epilepsy and died from complications caused by a seizure while he was in the intensive care unit at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Beechwood senior Garrett Ratliff is a friend of the Bushelman family and one of Mason’s teammates on the football team.

“Mason was always a great kid,” Ratliff said. “He was always happy. He brought an energy that was infectious. He brought everybody joy. He helped people anyway he could. He was a great kid.”

Coaches limited Mason’s contact on the football field due to his medical condition, but he played an important role on the freshman team.

“One thing I’ve noticed about him is that before every game he would always try to say something supportive, and he always had the biggest smile,” says Mitchell Courts, a member of the freshman team. “He had the best little laugh. He was always there, so supportive of the team. And even though he had seizures, he would always be at practice — he was always there.”

Beechwood’s varsity football team won the Class 1A state championship this season and Mason was on the sidelines cheering for his teammates throughout the playoffs.

When Mason was taken to the hospital early last week, there was a vigil on the Beechwood football field to pray for his recovery. Students and teachers returned to the field Friday night to say goodbye to their friend and teammate.

Memorial services will be Tuesday from 5-9 p.m. at the Beechwood school gym. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Church.

Mason is survived by his parents, Ken Bushelman and Lisa Osborne Bushelman and her companion Jeff Eisenmanger, and sisters, Maggie, Morgan, Mollie and Stella. Lisa Bushelman is former Kenton County Family Court Judge.

Preceded in death by his brother Dalton Phillips, grandfather Jim Osborne, grandparents Edward and Colette Bushelman and aunts Jamie Puthoff and Melinda Macy. Survivors also include maternal grandmother Karen Osborne and caregiver Andrea Feebeck, aunt Valerie (Jim) Gadomski, uncle Greg (Dana) Osborne, uncle Brady (Paula) Osborne, aunt Diane (Bill) Taylor, aunt Barb (Jim Windsor) Boehl, uncle Ed (Carol) Bushelman, aunt Joyce Brady, cousins Jessica, Zak, Jake, and Aly Gadomski; Bailey. Alex, and Ben Osborne; Jason and Erica Childress; Amanda and Summer Young, Autumn Quinones; Ashley (nee Taylor), Johnathan Taylor, Michael Boehl, Leigh Ann (nee Boehl) Whiskin; Eddie, Chris, Billy and Alex Bushelman, Matt Brady, Stephen Boehmer (god father) Ronda Osborne (god mother) and many other cousins, extended family and close friends.

Burial will be held at Highland Cemetery. Memorials can be made to the Epilepsy Foundation Greater Cincinnati, 895 Central Ave #550, Cincinnati OH 45202 or Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky Drug Rehab Program 200 Home Rd. Covington KY 41011. Online condolences can be sent at www.linnemannfuneralhomes.com

Terry Boehmker and Vicki Prichard contributed to this report.