Caitlin Nelson, a 20-year-old college student at Sacred Heart University, died after choking during a pancake-eating contest.
According to reports, police said Nelson died on Sunday, April 2, three days after participating in the contest at Sacred Heart University. Nelson was pronounced dead at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and her vital organs were donated to help those in need.
According to the NY Daily News, Nelson went into convulsions on Thursday, March 30, during the pancake contest at a Greek life dinner. According to witnesses, Nelson had eaten about four or five pancakes before she fell on the floor and started shaking uncontrollably. The Fairfield Police Department arrived immediately, but their attempts to clear her airway failed.
Nelson, who was from Clark, New Jersey, was a junior majoring in social work at the Roman Catholic school in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Via ABC:
When Nelson started choking at the contest, two nursing students who were there immediately began lifesaving measures and were quickly joined by police officers and paramedics.
“They did the best to establish an air way,” Kalamaras said. “Unfortunately, the pancake was impacted in there, in her throat, and the officers were trying to get it out.”
Nelson was taken to a hospital in Bridgeport in critical but stable condition and transferred on Friday to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center.
Thousands of people gathered on the Sacred Heart campus Sunday night to honor Nelson, who was a sister of the Kappa Delta sorority.
According to Nelson’s LinkedIn, she was certified in youth mental health first aid and volunteered at the Resiliency Center of Newtown. The Resiliency Center of Newtown is a nonprofit group that provides free counseling to people affected by the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
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What Happened?
Caitlin Nelson, a 20-year-old college student at Sacred Heart University, died after choking during a pancake-eating contest.
According to the NY Daily News, Nelson went into convulsions Thursday night during the flapjack-eating contest at a Greek life dinner. According to witnesses, Nelson had eaten about four or five pancakes before she fell on the floor and started shaking uncontrollably. She was pronounced dead at the New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Who was Caitlin Nelson?
Caitlin Nelson, a 20-year-old college student at Sacred Heart University, died after choking during a pancake-eating contest. She was certified in youth mental health first aid and volunteered at the Resiliency Center of Newtown
