On Dec. 5, ESPN reporter Edward Aschoff posed a question to his social media followers.
“Anyone ever had multifocal (bilateral) pneumonia in their early 30s as some who never gets sick and has a very good immune system? Asking for two friends ... my lungs,” he tweeted.
Anyone ever had multifocal (bilateral) pneumonia in their early 30s as some who never gets sick and has a very good immune system? Asking for two friends ... my lungs.
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) December 5, 2019
Damn. Yeah this is miserable. Had a virus for two weeks and it morphed into this monster. I’m on two different antibiotics a day. Taking one twice a day and the other once. Walking is not my friend
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) December 5, 2019
The charismatic college sports writer died less than three weeks later on his 34th birthday, just days after receiving the presumed diagnosis of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, in addition to the pneumonia he had battled since his coverage of the annual rivalry football game between Michigan and Ohio State on Nov. 30.
Katy Berteau, Aschoff’s fiancée, penned a Twitter thread on Aschoff’s account confirming his admission to the hospital one week after receiving the pneumonia diagnosis and detailing the HLH diagnosis, Today reported.
(6/12) After many tests - bone marrow and lung biopsies - treatment was started for a presumed diagnosis of HLH, an unregulated, over-activation of the immune system that causes it to attack itself and other healthy tissues. Within 3 days of being moved into the ICU, he passed. pic.twitter.com/O8v3eZqefX
— Edward Aschoff (@AschoffESPN) December 27, 2019
Doctors have not yet determined which condition Aschoff contracted first, if one ailment spawned the other or how his illness turned fatal so quickly, CNN reported.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, HLH is a rare autoimmune disorder that typically strikes infants and children but can form in adults compromised by myriad conditions, including infections and cancer.
Although fever and enlargement of the spleen are the most common HLH symptoms, other possible symptoms include:
• Enlargement of the liver
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Skin rashes
• Jaundice (yellow color of your skin and eyes)
• Lung problems, including coughing and difficulty breathing
• Digestive problems, including stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea
• Nervous system problems, including headache, trouble walking, visual disturbances and weakness
While about 25 percent of cases are inherited, genetic testing for HLH is not routine, and there is no way to prevent its contraction, CNN reported.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, HLH treatments – which have proven highly effective for acquired forms of the disorder – include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, steroids, antibiotic drugs, antiviral drugs and even stem cell transplants.
Aschoff and Berteau were slated to be married in April, Today reported.
According to ESPN, Aschoff joined the network in 2011 as part of the SEC blog network, which covers the NCAA Southeastern Conference. During the past three seasons, Aschoff reported from college campuses across the nation for ESPN.com, SportsCenter, SEC Network and ESPN radio.
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