“Super Healthy” Appalachian State University Student Dies From Coronavirus Complications

A 19-year-old Appalachian State University student who is described as being “super healthy” passed away on Monday from complications related to COVID-19.

Chad Dorrill’s death is the first reported within the University of North Carolina school system, which includes 16 colleges and universities. His death follows the decision to close in-person classes due to rising COVID-19 infection rates.

“The doctors said that Chad is the rarest 1 in 10,000,000 case,” his mother Susan Dorrill explained. “But if it can happen to a super healthy 19-year-old boy who doesn’t smoke, vape, or do drugs, it can happen to anyone.” Dorrill attended all of his classes online and did not live on campus.

The teen fell ill in early September and returned home near Thomasville, North Carolina. He soon tested positive for the virus. Dorrill went into isolation, and once his doctor cleared him, he returned to Boone, where Appalachian State is located. Despite being medically cleared to return to the town where his school was located, he began to experience severe complications, and his family picked him up and took him to the hospital.

“His family’s wishes are for the university to share a common call to action, so our entire campus community recognizes the importance of following COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines,” the school system’s chancellor, Peter Hans, wrote in a statement.

He went on to add, “All of us must remain vigilant with our safety behaviors wherever we are in our community. We can flatten the curve, but to do so, we must persevere. From the smallest acts to the most important personal relationships, we must actively work each day to reduce the spread of this highly communicable disease.”

Appalachian State University has experienced an increase in coronavirus cases since resuming in-person learning. As of Tuesday, there were 159 cases amongst students. Despite this, they have opted to keep the university open.

On Monday night, Dorrill’s former high school, Ledford High, paid tribute to the fallen basketball star with his jersey number reflected on the scoreboard.