I lost a friend from HS to this. It's horrible and sometimes happens when you least expect it. I remember when I started college, my mom took me to our family DR who gave me a shot for this. I am so so sorry for this horrible loss.
This is incredibly sad. Everyone (especially teens and 20s) should know that there is a vaccine available for meningococcus now. This spreads particularly in areas where young people are in close contact, like college dorms, or backstage of shows. For info go to: