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Tuesday, February 11, 2025
Tragedy strikes UW Students: Bacterial meningitis claims life of Spirit Squad member

kuehn: Spirit Squad member Tommy Kuehn succumbed to bacterial meningitis Jan. 13.

Tragedy strikes UW Students: Bacterial meningitis claims life of Spirit Squad member

UW-Madison student Tommy Kuehn will be remembered as a driven student and loyal friend with ample enthusiasm to rile up fans at Badger games as a member of the UW Spirit Squad.

Kuehn died of bacterial meningitis at a Madison hospital Jan. 13.

Kuehn thought he was sick with a cold, but when his condition worsened, he went to the hospital.  When Kuehn was brought to the hospital, he had a seizure that rendered him unconscious. He never woke up after it, according to Assistant Cheer Director Jerry Wheeler.

""There wasn't any warning. He was in good spirits, but then things got progressively worse,"" Wheeler said.

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Kuehn, originally from Stoughton, Wis., will be remembered fondly by family and friends.

""Tommy was an extremely upstanding, bright young guy. He was funny,"" Wheeler said. ""He was the kind of guy that makes a great friend for anyone.""

Kuehn's parents, Jill and Tom Kuehn, expressed their gratitude for support and ""outpour of love"" from the Madison and Stoughton communities in a statement Jan. 15.

""Tommy was a vibrant young man with such promise; he was loved by many,"" the family said.

Kuehn was working as a research assistant in the Department of Neurosurgery at UW Hospitals and Clinics with hopes of attending medical school. He graduated from UW-Madison in 2010 with a degree in biology.

There were six cases of meningitis in Dane County in 2010, one of which resulted in the death of UW-Madison senior Neha Suri on Feb. 2.

Bacterial meningitis is a rare but sometimes fatal disease that is caused by an inflammation of protective membrane covering the spinal cord and brain, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Jan. 17 at St. Ann Catholic Church in Stoughton. Friends are invited to greet the family from 2-6 p.m. on Jan. 16  and from 10-11 a.m. on Jan. 17 at the Olson-Holzhuter-Cress Funeral Home.

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