‘Super Healthy’ 19-Year-Old Dies From COVID-19

COVID-19 continues to become one of the world’s biggest medical mysteries as it claims the life of a seemingly healthy North Carolina teenager.

Appalachian State University sophomore, Chad Dorrill, died on Monday after contracting COVID-19, The Charlotte Observer reports. His mother, Susan Dorrill, stated in a now-private Facebook post that her son didn’t exhibit any known symptoms of COVID-19. Instead, he was just “incredibly tired” for two weeks. 

“Little did we know (the virus) was secretly attacking his body in a way they have never seen before,” she wrote. She went on to say that doctors report that this is the rarest case of COVID-19 they had seen. 

Dorrill was not a patient doctors would consider to be at risk of catching the virus or it impacting him fatally. The 19-year-old reportedly stayed away from drugs and didn’t smoke. He was also a standout high school athlete, earning all-conference basketball honors before moving on to study exercise science in college. As a result, the family is using this unfortunate incident to remind people to take the pandemic seriously. 

“As our family suffers this incredible loss, we want to remind people to wear a mask and quarantine if you test positive even without symptoms, you have no idea who you can come into contact with that the virus affects differently,” the family’s statement continues.”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.”