PORT TOWNSEND – A 16-year-old Port Townsend High School student collapsed in school Friday and died after being airlifted to a Seattle hospital.
Steve McIntire, Port Townsend School District acting superintendent, would not release the name of the boy.
“We will not start releasing information until [Superintendent] Tom Opstad gets back on Monday,” said McIntire.
Opstad has been on vacation for two weeks.
East Jefferson Fire-Rescue Chief Mike Mingee said crews were called to the high school at 10:41 a.m. Friday.
A student had collapsed with cardiac arrest in an administrative office, he said.
“We did regain a pulse,” Mingee said.
The student was taken to Jefferson Healthcare hospital, and then was reportedly airlifted to Children’s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle.
Mingee said he did not know the student’s name.
McIntire said the student had come to the office saying he didn’t feel well.
Soon after, he collapsed, McIntire said.
He said word spread to the other students “in a flash” that a student had collapsed and later died.
But there was no formal announcement to the student body regarding the incident.
He said grief counselors will be available at the school on Monday and throughout the week to help students cope with the loss.
A note has been posted to the high school’s Web site at www.ptsd.wednet.edu/highschool/generalinfo/cody.html explaining how parents can help children who may be grieving.
“On Friday, March 2, one of our students passed away,” the note says.
“Because we know many students will be affected by this news, we will mobilize additional support staff from the community and other schools, so that there will be plenty of adults available for students to talk to throughout the day on Monday.”
