Entry tags:
Amanda Pudvah: February 25th 1986 -- February 10th 2008
So I've effectively removed my previous post regarding the death of Amanda
Pudvah. It was written in anger and ignorance and, having received the
details of what happened, I decided that her story, though tragic, didn't
belong with that of Amanda Fleetwood and Ben Bandas. They died as a result
of the evils that people do to themselves and others. Amanda Pudvah's
death, while frustratingly sudden and apparently premature, was not the
result of malice or violence.
I got the details from my brother Josh, who knew Amanda and got these
details from her room mate. A wave of colds and fevers had been sweeping
their campus for a while, to the point where it was affectionately referred
to as "the plague." Everyone got it, they were laid low for a few days, and
then recovered. On Friday, February 8th, Amanda began to feel ill but
nothing exceptionally bad. On Saturday, February 9th, she was feeling a bit
worse but that's generally to be expected and, like many (myself included),
Amanda figured some hot tea and bedrest would be fine. On Sunday, February
10th, she woke up coughing blood. 911 was called and there were
arrangements to get Amanda air lifted to a hospital in Pittsburgh (about an
hour's drive away), but she didn't make it. She received Last Rites and
died that afternoon on campus. As Josh put it, she met her death well, even
if the rest of us haven't.
For my part, since this is my journal, I'm unsure of my place. I didn't
know Amanda much at all, having only just met her on my mid-January visit.
I liked her, she was pretty and nice, but... I've been rather sad (and, as
you may have seen, angry) over her death, but I feel like I'm not allowed,
for lack of a better term. I feel like I'm intruding on the grief of those
who *actually* knew her.
There is one similarity that Amanda Pudvah's death has with Ben's and Amanda
Fleetwood's, and that is it serves as a reminder that life is short and you
never know how much time you may have left. Further, it shows that an
unexpected death isn't always caused simply by violence. So, be good to
those around you. Let people know how much they mean to you. Don't put off
living your life, saying how you feel, because you never know when you or
someone close to you might not be there on Monday morning.
Pudvah. It was written in anger and ignorance and, having received the
details of what happened, I decided that her story, though tragic, didn't
belong with that of Amanda Fleetwood and Ben Bandas. They died as a result
of the evils that people do to themselves and others. Amanda Pudvah's
death, while frustratingly sudden and apparently premature, was not the
result of malice or violence.
I got the details from my brother Josh, who knew Amanda and got these
details from her room mate. A wave of colds and fevers had been sweeping
their campus for a while, to the point where it was affectionately referred
to as "the plague." Everyone got it, they were laid low for a few days, and
then recovered. On Friday, February 8th, Amanda began to feel ill but
nothing exceptionally bad. On Saturday, February 9th, she was feeling a bit
worse but that's generally to be expected and, like many (myself included),
Amanda figured some hot tea and bedrest would be fine. On Sunday, February
10th, she woke up coughing blood. 911 was called and there were
arrangements to get Amanda air lifted to a hospital in Pittsburgh (about an
hour's drive away), but she didn't make it. She received Last Rites and
died that afternoon on campus. As Josh put it, she met her death well, even
if the rest of us haven't.
For my part, since this is my journal, I'm unsure of my place. I didn't
know Amanda much at all, having only just met her on my mid-January visit.
I liked her, she was pretty and nice, but... I've been rather sad (and, as
you may have seen, angry) over her death, but I feel like I'm not allowed,
for lack of a better term. I feel like I'm intruding on the grief of those
who *actually* knew her.
There is one similarity that Amanda Pudvah's death has with Ben's and Amanda
Fleetwood's, and that is it serves as a reminder that life is short and you
never know how much time you may have left. Further, it shows that an
unexpected death isn't always caused simply by violence. So, be good to
those around you. Let people know how much they mean to you. Don't put off
living your life, saying how you feel, because you never know when you or
someone close to you might not be there on Monday morning.