Madison Small: Virginia Teen Dies Suddenly From Mystery Illness
Madison Small, a Broad Run High School student, fell ill Monday afternoon. The parents of the 18-year-old Ashburn, Virginia girl rushed Madison to the hospital later the same evening with a severe headache. She died just a few hours later on Tuesday. Tim Small, the shocked and grieving father, called the school by the early afternoon to inform them about his daughter’s mysterious death.
The Virginia Medical Examiner’s office is currently investigating the death of Madison Small, and an autopsy has been ordered. Tim Small stated during an interview with local WUSA9 News, that doctors at the Virginia hospital had not given him a reason for his daughter’s sudden illness and death. It will most likely take a week before the results of the autopsy and a determination of death are complete and available, according to the medical examiner’s office.
During Easter weekend, father and daughter played catch together. By all accounts from family members, Madison Small was the picture of health until Monday afternoon. Virginia Public Health officials and school district administrators reportedly do not believe that the illness which afflicted Madison Small poses a risk to other students.
“I Didn’t think anything was wrong with her,” close friend of Madison Small, Devan Rook, said, referencing her lack of serious concern when her classmate went to an urgent care center on Monday, “In the middle of the night, she woke up complaining of headaches and stuff, and they took her to Inova Loudoun Hospital and realized it was pretty serious. They couldn’t handle it there, so they medevac-ed her over to Inova Fairfax Hospital. At that point, she wasn’t doing too well, and several of her organs were shutting down.”
Hundreds of friends from Broad Run High School assembled on Tuesday after learning of Madison Small’s death, for a candle-light vigil. Students from the Ashburn, Virginia school remembered their classmate as a talented softball player who was looking forward to attending Virginia Tech in the fall.
On Tuesday, Broad Run High School Principal Dave Spage wrote an email to parents to share the news of Madison Small’s death. Spage said that the nearly 500 people who attended the vigil at the school “speaks to her circle and her involvement here.”
Madison Small’s parents and two older siblings attended the candle-light vigil. Tim Small addressed the crowd and said, “Life can be short, we found that out today. Make the most of it, love each other. Don’t get bogged down in the little nitpicky crap. Put that aside. Life’s too short.”
[Images via: Facebook]
