Ronalda Pierce

Ronalda Pierce (February 23, 1985 – June 8, 2004) was a Florida State University basketball player who died of an aneurysm. She was a sophomore, and a likely candidate to join the Women's National Basketball Association in 2007.

On the morning of Tuesday, June 8, Pierce's roommate found her in bed breathing uneasily and could not wake her up. Paramedics transported her to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where she died a few hours later.

Pierce was 6 feet 5 inches (77 inches) tall. Her family has a history of heart and brain diseases. It is believed that her aneurysm, located on her aorta, resulted from a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome. Pierce was 19 years old.

References

• Landman, Brian (2004-11-17), "FSU has several reminders of ex-teammate", St. Petersburg Times, retrieved 2008-04-22