In Colorado last month, a cadet at the US Air Force Academy died in her dorm room. Experts think that she might not have died from pneumonia. The El Paso County Coroner’s Office says that Avery Koonce, 19, of Tyler, Texas, died on September 4th as a result of a significant lung illness.
The report said that Koonce died from a severe bacterial infection called “paeniclostridium sordellii sepsis” that came on after he had a viral lung infection. Doctors think that quick antibiotics and other simple treatments may have stopped this from happening.
Dr. Michael Baden, a well-known forensic pathologist who went over the autopsy results, made it obvious what kind of sickness she had. He said, “Basically, she died of pneumonia that wasn’t treated.” Dr. Baden, who used to be New York City’s top medical examiner, explained that paeniclostridium sordelli is a rare bacterium that can induce illnesses that are very similar to toxic shock. The viral infection she experienced certainly weakened her immune system, which made her more likely to receive the bacterium. He remarked, “This is not related to any pre-existing abnormality.” He also said that Koonce’s condition might have been treated with fluids and drugs to battle the viral infection.
Before she died, Koonce presumably had common pneumonia symptoms like a cough that wouldn’t go away, a fever, and problems breathing. The autopsy found that the young cadet had been coughing for a long time, and it got worse in the days before she died. Dr. Baden noted that a lot of people don’t realize how serious their symptoms are until it’s too late. This might be why Koonce didn’t get help in time.
The El Paso County Coroner wouldn’t say anything about the case, and Koonce’s family and the Air Force Academy didn’t respond to demands for more information.
Koonce was a well-known high school track star and was known for her athletic skills. At Thrall High School in Taylor, Texas, she was a terrific sprinter. She ran the 100 meters in 12.12 seconds and the 200 meters in 25.67 seconds. At the time of her death, she was a member of the Academy’s track and field team.
Eric and Kelly Koonce, Koonce’s parents, sent a letter that made people cry about how much they missed their daughter. They said she was “an amazing bright light in this broken world.” They said, “We can’t fill the hole that her absence has left in our lives.”
People have been talking about how important it is to know how deadly respiratory infections may be and to see a doctor if symptoms don’t go away after her death at such a young age. Koonce’s family is heartbroken, yet her story carries on. It’s horrible to think that diseases that may have been avoided can sometimes kill you if you don’t get treatment.