Off The Record
The Heartbreaking Story Behind Avery Koonce’s Illness And Untimely Death
At her Texas high school, Avery Koonce excelled as an athlete and set records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
She joined the women’s track and field team at the Air Force Academy because of her love of running. Sadly, at the young age of 19, she is no longer able to enjoy the rush and independence that come with her favorite sport.
Her family, friends, and the whole Air Force Academy community are devastated by her sudden passing.
Emergency personnel showed up at Air Force Academy freshman Avery Koonce’s Colorado Springs dorm room on September 4, 2024.
Avery Koonce posted this on Thursday, September 7, 2023.
They found 19-year-old Avery dead, and no matter how hard they tried to bring her back to life, it was too late. It was sad. The site pronounced her dead, as there were no outward signs of trauma to explain her terrible fate.
Other cadets initially found Avery unconscious in her bunk, according to CBS News. We quickly started an investigation to provide her bereaved family and friends with answers.
Cause of death
During the El Paso County Coroner’s Office autopsy, a devastating truth came to light. Avery had passed away from pneumonia-related complications.
The New York Post reported that the cause of death was ”paeniclostridium sordelli sepsis complicating parainfluenza laryngotracheobronchitis” — a serious bacterial infection that arose following a viral infection in her lungs.
Paeniclostridium sordellii is an uncommon anaerobic bacterium that is known to cause toxic shock-like syndrome, according to Wikipedia.
An acute viral lower respiratory tract infection further exacerbated Avery’s condition, and People reports that the Air Force Academy student had a bad cough in the days before she passed away.
Regrettably, we could have prevented this devastating loss. Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist, informed IBT that early identification of her disease could have significantly impacted antibiotic treatment.
By taking advantage of the weakened immune system brought on by the viral infection, the bacteria that caused the sepsis emerged as a secondary infection.
Shocked everyone
Her left lung and blood both contained the bacterium.
”In essence, she died of untreated pneumonia,” Dr. Baden explained, noting that the combination of the viral lung infection and bacterial sepsis likely resulted in symptoms such as coughing, fever, and difficulty breathing prior to her death.
This unfortunate ending seems to have resulted from Avery’s failure to properly understand the severity of her situation.
Everyone who knew her was surprised by her sudden death. She had just graduated from Texas’s Thrall High School and was starting her freshman year at the Air Force Academy. Avery, who maintained outstanding grades while excelling in cheerleading, powerlifting, band, and cross country, was described as a committed and driven student.
She wanted to work as a physical therapist for pilots, so she planned to major in biology and minor in kinesiology.
About 100 of Avery’s Air Force Academy classmates traveled from Colorado to Texas to attend a memorial service at Tiger Stadium in Thrall on September 12.
”We lost an incredible teammate,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, USAFA Superintendent, highlighting Avery’s profound impact on her squadron, track team, and class, despite her brief time at the academy.
Avery’s family, shattered by her sudden departure, also released an emotional statement through the academy: ”Our daughter, Cadet Avery Koonce, was an incredibly bright light in this broken world. Our lives will forever be diminished because of her absence.”
”Avery is truly loved by so many. We have peace in the knowledge Avery is in the arms of her Heavenly Father and we will be with her again. Avery was not a perfect person but was a perfect daughter. Loving on her brothers and learning how to live with Avery’s loss is our only focus right now. We are beyond blessed for the 19 amazing years we got to call Avery ours. We are praying for all of those that are bearing the incredible darkness of her loss.”
Let’s honor Avery’s drive, her aspirations, and the positive influence she had on everyone around her as we remember her. Many people were impacted by her lively personality and unwavering commitment to her goals, including her family and friends back home in Thrall as well as her students at the Air Force Academy.
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