{"id":23709,"date":"2020-07-27T20:48:16","date_gmt":"2020-07-27T20:48:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/07\/27\/honor-guard-sailor-collapses-from-extreme-heat-and-dehydration-during-procession-for-the-late-rep-john-lewis\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T19:03:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T19:03:14","slug":"honor-guard-sailor-collapses-from-extreme-heat-and-dehydration-during-procession-for-the-late-rep-john-lewis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/news\/your-navy\/2020\/07\/27\/honor-guard-sailor-collapses-from-extreme-heat-and-dehydration-during-procession-for-the-late-rep-john-lewis\/","title":{"rendered":"Honor Guard sailor collapses from \u2018extreme heat and dehydration\u2019 during procession for the late Rep. John Lewis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A sailor serving with a joint services military honor guard tasked with escorting the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis<\/a> to lie in state within the Capitol Rotunda collapsed Monday afternoon in the suffocating Washington, D.C., summer heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sailor, who has not been identified, \u201cpassed out due to extreme heat and dehydration,\u201d said Ed Ziegler, a Naval District Washington spokesman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe United States Navy Ceremonial Guard are consummate professionals, but even they are vulnerable to the forces of Mother Nature,\u201d Ziegler said, adding that the sailor \u201cis doing well and is on his way back to base with the rest of the team.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lewis, a civil rights crusader who had served in the House of Representatives since 1986, died on July 17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sailor\u2019s collapse occurred just before 2 p.m. local time and on camera during CNN\u2019s live coverage of the event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was another disgustingly hot and muggy day in the nation\u2019s capital Monday, with a forecasted high<\/a> of 97 degrees and the honor guard wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were watching on TV through the waves of heat and I asked \u2013 how are these guys at attention for over a half hour, and not starting to pass out?\u201d Twitter user Colin Warrick wrote beneath a CNN video clip of the sailor\u2019s collapse. \u201cAt that instant, boom, one goes down!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Troops sometimes faint when made to stand at attention in hot and humid weather and are told to not lock their knees to prevent toppling over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Video of that member of John Lewis's honor guard collapsing (apparently from the heat). He appears to be okay. pic.twitter.com\/i0JKKXx8Ra<\/a><\/p>— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) July 27, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote>