Tragic Loss at the U.S. Air Force Academy: 19-Year-Old Cadet Avery Koonce Found Unresponsive in Dormitory Room, Dies from Rare and Aggressive Paeniclostridium Sordellii Sepsis Complicating Respiratory Infection, Leaving Family, Classmates, and Academy Community in Shock, Mourning, and Seeking Awareness About Rare Infectious Diseases
Cadet Avery Koonce’s journey at the United States Air Force Academy had barely begun when it was cut short in a way no one in her orbit could have foreseen. At just nineteen years old, she represented everything the Academy hopes to nurture: discipline, purpose, intelligence, and a sense of service that burned bright even…