H1N1 claims Lewis and Clark College student

Complications from the disease lead to death of Kris Kerstiens

By Rebecca Randall

The Lake Oswego Review, Nov 5, 2009 (1 Reader comment)

COURTESY PHOTO

Kris Kerstiens

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Kris Kerstiens, a Lewis & Clark College graduate student, died on Saturday, Oct. 31, of complications from a two-week battle with H1N1. He was 25 years old.

Kerstiens was admitted to a local hospital early last week with flu-like symptoms, and his condition developed into acute respiratory distress syndrome, which led to his death.

KPTV reported on Tuesday that his father Kevin Kerstiens said the vaccine could have saved his son’s life.

“You know, where was the vaccine? We knew about this one month ago. It hit in the spring,” he said.

A Facebook page was started Saturday soon after his death by his good friend Craig Galyon. More than 300 people have joined the group so far offering their condolences.

Kerstiens graduated from Beaverton High School in 2003 and Oregon State University with a bachelor’s degree in history in 2008. He was in the master of arts teaching program at Lewis & Clark’s Graduate School of Education and Counseling. He planned on a career as a high school social studies teacher.

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