A beloved high school secretary had no idea blood clots were forming in her brain until a freak crowd-surfing accident at a popular music festival forced her to go to the hospital.
Danielle Uskiwich, 28, was one of the many excited attendees at Pointfest, a rock music festival in Maryland on May 16.
She was watching the band Sleep Theory perform when a crowd surfer accidentally bashed her in the head, according to her family.
Uskiwich did not think much of it, but three days later, she was admitted to the hospital because of severe headaches, and doctors discovered a severe brain bleed.
Her health began to rapidly deteriorate. Uskiwich’s family said in the description of an online fundraiser that she suffered a stroke while hospitalized, leading to weakness and deficiencies on her right side.
After suffering a second stroke, she was rushed into emergency surgery, and doctors removed a massive clot in her brain.
Uskiwich’s family said doctors removed approximately six pints of blood, and she was placed in a medically induced coma to reduce swelling.
Ten days after the festival, her family announced ‘with shattered hearts’ that Uskiwich died.
Danielle Uskiwich died earlier this week after she was hit in the head by a crowd surfer while attending a rock music festival. Her mom said the accident likely did not cause the brain bleed, but drew attention to it
Uskiwich recently announced that her partner, Jason Wright, had proposed. The two were planning to wed this year
Uskiwich lived in Maryland and worked as a school secretary. Her former employer remembered her as ‘a kind face who greeted our visitors, and worked with students on their attendance’
‘Danielle was loved by so many. She had the kindest heart, a beautiful smile, and a spirit that could light up any room, and she was the kind of person people naturally gravitated toward because of her warmth, humor, and the way she made others feel seen and loved,’ her family said in a GoFundMe update.
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Uskiwich’s mother, Lori Missey, clarified on Facebook that her daughter had been having headaches prior to the freak accident, but the concert finally brought the symptoms to her attention.
‘The incident at the concert was actually a blessing in disguise to lead her to the hospital,’ she wrote.
‘The strokes were going to happen regardless, the concert gave her a fighting chance.’
Uskiwich was an attendance secretary at St Charles High School in Waldorf, about an hour south of Washington DC.
Her previous employer, Hardin Middle School, shared a tribute to her online, writing, ‘In the time Dani was at Hardin, she dedicated herself to forming relationships with students, parents, and staff.
‘She was a kind face who greeted our visitors, and worked with students on their attendance.’
Uskiwich’s family said she was hospitalized after experiencing severe headaches and later had two strokes
Uskiwich was in the hospital for less than two weeks before her death. She suffered a severe brain bleed and was placed in a medically induced coma before she died. Her social media showed her at music festivals, hockey games and enjoying time with her fiancé
‘She was far too young to leave this Earth. Please keep her family in your thoughts,’ the tribute concluded.
Uskiwich was recently engaged and preparing for her wedding. Her last Facebook post revealed her engagement ring, which she excitedly captioned, ‘WE’RE GETTING MARRIED.’
Her fiancé, Jason Wright, shared the fundraiser on May 23, writing, ‘We have a long road ahead of us, but we’re going to get there! There’s no one tougher in the world to get through this.’
Uskiwich’s family said that after her death, she was taken through a ‘beautiful honor walk’ before starting the organ donation process.
‘It was a heartbreaking but deeply meaningful moment that reflected exactly who Danielle was – someone who continued to give love, even in her final moments,’ her family wrote in an update on GoFundMe.
Uskiwich’s family is raising money to support her medical expenses and related costs.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Uskiwich’s family for comment.
