The last — and solemnly, what turned out to be the final time — Skyview High lineman Chris Phillips was with William “Liam” Sloan, the two completed football practice by sprinting side-by-side for team conditioning.

In typical Sloan fashion, his words of encouragement helped Phillips finish the workout. It wasn’t complete without another Sloan staple: a big bear hug.

Later that night, Sloan died in his sleep. In April, the Clark County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be sudden cardiac arrest due to a heart valve disease.

One year after Sloan’s unexpected death on Oct. 10, 2024, recalling that final memory on Skyview’s turf field brings Phillips to tears, because it perfectly captures who Sloan was.

“I still can’t control my emotions about it,” Phillips said.

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