The Fallon Hornets’ baseball player Darius Fruzza tragically passed away on Monday.
Darius Fruzza was a promising young baseball player who competed at the AA level, wearing jersey #26.
A right-handed batter and thrower, Fruzza played for the Fallon 13u Hornets out of Fallon, Nevada, under the direction of Coach Justin Judd.
In 2024, he played for the Fallon 12U Hornets, where he helped the team earn 260 points and achieve a Power Ranking of 846, with a 1-2 record.
During the 2025 season, Darius and his team took part in three events, recording a win-loss-tie record of 2-4-0.
While the team did not place in the top three at any of those events, Darius contributed to notable victories, including a 6-5 win against the Northern Nevada Aggies 13U Grey and a dominant 6-0 shutout over the 12AA Tahoe Emeralds.
In terms of rankings, the Fallon 13U Hornets hold a #9 state ranking within Nevada’s 13U AA division. He was listed as part of the 2030 graduating class.
Darius Fruzza Tragically Passed Away At The Age Of 16
Darius Fruzza, a baseball player at Fallon Hornets, took his last breath on Monday, July 7, 2025, at the age of 16.
As per the reports, Darius was hospitalized on Sunday, July 6, 2025, with flu-like symptoms that rapidly worsened, leading to fatal brain swelling caused by a rare flu reaction.
Churchill County Middle School took to their official Facebook page and mourned the tragic loss of Darius by stating,
It is with heavy hearts that we share that one of our students, Darius Fruzza, passed away following a rare and severe reaction to a strain of influenza that caused swelling in his brain. Please keep the Fruzza family in your thoughts and prayers. Darius will always be a part of our school family and forever in our hearts.
Churchill County Middle School
A comedian named Peller also offered his heartfelt condolences. He wrote,
The Fallon community is mourning the heartbreaking loss of Darius Fruzza, who p@ssed away on July 7, 2025, following a sudden medical emergency. In a final act of selflessness, his family donated his organs to help others. Fallon has lost a beloved son, teammate, and friend, but his legacy of compassion and heart will never be forgotten.
Peller
Darius’s family made the selfless and courageous decision to donate his organs, giving the gift of life to others.
Justin and Emily Judd have organized a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe to assist the Fruzza family with their medical bills and funeral expenses.
The campaign aims to collect over $45k, but it has only collected around $27,827.
To honor Darius’s life, there will be an Honor Walk on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Tahoe Tower on the 4th floor lobby of Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno.
Darius will always be remembered for his unforgettable contributions as a baseball player at Fallon Hornets. Rest in Heaven, Darius Fruzza.
Darius Fruzza Is Survived By His Parents And Two Siblings
Darius Fruzza was born in 2009 to his parents, Harry and Christina Fruzza. The couple later got married on June 8, 2013.
According to Christina’s Facebook profile, she graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College in 2003.
Christina grew up with her brother, Jeff Johnson, who attended Montgomery High School and worked as a Truck driver.
Recently, Christina took to her Facebook and posted a photo of Darius as a tribute. In the comment section, relatives and close ones sent their prayers.
One person wrote,
Christina please know we love you and your family so much. If there’s anything we can do to help you guys in any way whatsoever please let us know. We are so very sorry for your loss and we are continuing to pray for you.
Tiffany Timmons
Another person wrote,
I’m so sorry. Our family is here for you guys. Darius is such a wonderful young man, you couldn’t know him and not love him.
Austin Renfroe
On the other hand, Harry lives in Fallon, Nevada, and went to El Molino High School. He is also mourning the tragic death of his son, Darius.
Moreover, Darius had one brother and one sister, whose identity had been kept private.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Darius’s maternal grandfather, Irwin “Chris” Cresswell, tragically passed away on December 22, 2022, at 5:23 a.m.
- His maternal grandmother, Tina McKay Miller Cresswell, studied at Yuba College, Clearlake, CA, and served as a kitchen manager at Baechtel Grove Middle School.
