IU music school student died after collapsing on the floor at a CrossFit class in NYC in September of 2021
Melissa Arnold was a PhD candidate in the prestigious Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She taught music classes at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., in the spring of 2021, and then in early August of 2021, moved to New York to take a job as choral director at the Packer Collegiate Institute, a private K-12 school in Brooklyn.
“She made lots of new friends at school and in the area and was really looking forward to her new job,” her mother wrote on Melissa’s Facebook page.
Melissa died just a few weeks later on Sept. 9 after passing out just minutes after the start of a CrossFit class.
The hospital told the family that the cause of death appeared to be an “aneurysm that caused a massive brain bleed.”
Here is the account from Melissa’s mother, posted to Melissa’s Facebook page:
This is Melissa's mom. Many of you know she's no longer with us. For those who don't, I'm so sorry that this is the way you're learning that she died this week.
At the beginning of August, she moved from Indiana to NY for her new job at The Packer Collegiate Institute in Brooklyn. She made lots of new friends at school and in the area and was really looking forward to her new job.
She joined a wonderful Crossfit and was just beginning a session on Wednesday evening. I got a call at 6:09 from one of the instructors, I think it was Aaron, to let me know Melissa had passed out. She said she felt dizzy and lay down on the floor. EMTs and medics came immediately and started CPR when her heart stopped. The instructor stayed on the phone with me until after the medics drove her away in the ambulance. Less than half an hour later, David, the owner of that Crossfit, called me from the hospital and filled in as many details as he could.
My other daughter, Becky, drove me from Virginia to Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn. It took us only seven hours because we had almost no traffic and almost all green lights. We arrived at 5:45 am. The ICU had already arranged with security for us to go immediately to Melissa. These are all insignificant details but each was a blessing at the time. My husband, George, who was volunteering at Grace Farm in Georgia this week, drove to Blacksburg, Virginia, to Melissa's brother Jon's house. They drove to the hospital to meet us and be with Melissa. Krain (her other brother) and his family were too sick to be with us.
The doctors, nurses, and all those working at the hospital were absolutely wonderful. They continued doing tests and keeping Melissa comfortable. We were told she probably had an aneurysm that caused a massive brain bleed that pushed down on her brain stem. The brain scan showed no activity. She never responded to us but her heart continued to beat as the ventilator kept her breathing. The very last test was an apnea test, which in NY is used as proof of death. The test proved Melissa could not breathe on her own, so she was pronounced dead at 5:37 pm on Thursday, September 9, 2021... though she was probably gone already on Wednesday night.
We have honored her request for organ donation, so that surgery will probably happen today.
Melissa's neighbors and friends from her school have been walking her dogs, Franz and Nadia. We'll be going to her apartment and school today and will take our grandpuppies home with us.
I know I'll see her again one day, but I'm going to miss my friend and daughter so much...as I know many of you will, as well.
If you would like to post words or favorite pictures on her FB page, please do. In a few days, I'll add information about where to make donations to a charity (instead of flowers) if that's something you'd like to do.
https://www.facebook.com/marnold0001
The IU Jacobs School of Music announced Melissa’s death in a Facebook post:
Was she vaccinated? It’s highly likely that she was, given that the Packer Collegiate Institute requires all faculty and staff to be “fully vaccinated.”
This is from the school’s website:
https://www.packer.edu/about/working-at-packer
Melissa was 39 at the time of her death. Here is her obituary:
https://www.cherubinifunerals.com/obituaries/melissa-ann-arnold/
And here is a passage from it:
Melissa loved her nieces and nephews deeply and was a fabulous aunt. She was rarely seen without her dogs, Franz and Nadia, who are now snuggled in with family members. She had an incredible ear for music. She composed and conducted, sang, played many instruments, and was always willing to provide an impromptu lesson for interested learners. She had a fantastic eye for photography and loved capturing beauty in all its forms. She was an enthusiastic CrossFit community member.
Although a self-proclaimed introvert, she quickly made friends everywhere she went, often settling herself in a high-traffic area and drawing others into conversation. She radiated an almost physical sparkle, lighting the room with her bright smile and humor.
Family, friends, students, and all who knew her will miss our girl.
People can't accept the fact that they are committing vax-suicide.
This is heart wrenching. How did we get here? We are living in such a dangerous world. Thanks to you Margaret and all who are working to right the ship. God bless this family as they struggle to understand.