Student quarantining after COVID-19 diagnosis found dead in dorm, Indiana college says
A 20-year-old student at Indiana’s Grace College was found dead Thursday in her dorm room, where she was quarantining with COVID-19 symptoms, the school announced.
But the Oct. 30 death of Bethany Nesbitt wasn’t ruled due to COVID-19, the Kosciusko County Coroner said.
“After a complete investigation and autopsy, the cause of death has been ruled natural due to a pulmonary embolus that had not been previously detected,” Coroner Tony Ciriello said, according to Grace College. “While COVID did play a role in contributing to the death, it was not caused by COVID.”
A pulmonary embolism is usually caused by blood clots that block pulmonary arteries in your lungs, according to the Mayo Clinic. Among the symptoms is a shortness of breath.
Nesbitt was a third-year psychology major from Grand Ledge, Michigan, who was studying to become a child life specialist, Grace College said.
Her brother, a reporter for The Athletic, said his family’s “hearts are shattered.”
“Bethany was the baby of our family, the youngest of nine,” Stephen Nesbitt said Tuesday. “She loved Jesus. She loved memes. And she loved her family and friends until the very end.”
Bethany began experiencing COVID-19 symptoms the week of Oct. 20 and was tested two days later, her family said in a statement. She quarantined in her dorm room, but her test results were not delivered because of a clerical error, according to the statement.
She went to the emergency room Oct. 26 when her oxygen levels dropped, and a doctor told her she likely had COVID-19, her family said. The doctor said she seemed to be recovering, so she returned to her dorm.
“On Oct. 29, she was tested again. The results came back as COVID-positive after her death,” the family said. “That night, Bethany watched Netflix and went to bed. She was found deceased at 10 a.m. on Oct. 30.”
The college said Nesbitt will be remembered “as an exceptionally thoughtful and kind young woman.”
“Grace College students, faculty and staff continue to pray for the Nesbitt family and mourn the loss of a beloved classmate and friend, Bethany Nesbitt,” the school’s president, Dr. Bill Katip, said in a statement. “We are also working with the family to honor Bethany’s legacy. She will always be remembered for her joyful spirit, her love for the Lord and others and her positive impact on campus.”
A scholarship has been set up in Bethany’s honor to help students with similar dreams as her, Stephen Nesbitt said.
The family encouraged others to use “enormous caution” as COVID-19 cases rise.
“Please don’t assume that young people will not be impact by this virus,” the statement read. “Bethany was careful. She wore her mask. She socially distanced. We urge you to follow health officials’ protocols and precautions. We had already canceled our family holiday plans before Bethany got sick. The risks of gathering in large groups aren’t worth it this year.
“There will be an empty seat at our table the next time our family comes together — and every time after that. This loss is forever.”
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 12:43 PM.