Wayne County family tries to cope after losing 13-year old daughter

Kensey Dishman died after collapsing at school following a bout with COVID-19

WAYNE COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A heartbroken family in Wayne County is making funeral arrangements for 13-year-old Kensey Dishman who died after being found unresponsive at school after recently coming back from COVID-19.

Brett Gibbons, the stepfather of Dishman, says Kensey had asthma and got COVID-19 the first week of February. He says she tested negative twice with a doctor but tested positive with a home test and quarantined for two weeks until Feb. 14. On Monday, he says Kensey woke up still feeling sick.

“She had complained about being short of breath and her chest hurting a little bit,” said Gibbons.

Kensey’s blood pressure was high during the doctor’s visit, but her parents were told that this wasn’t a cause for alarm.

“They told us that it was probably just the aftermath of COVID and a lot of times anyone with asthma has trouble,” explains Gibbons.

On Tuesday, Kensey went to school. When her mom was meeting with a school counselor, she received an urgent call.

“They had called her on her phone and said Kensey has been passed out in the bathroom,” says Gibbons.

Gibbons says Kensey was responsive for a short time, then went in and out of consciousness. Her mom and a handful of school staff rushed to her side to try and help. While in the bathroom, Gibbons says Kensey began having seizures. When she was conscious, Kensey’s mom said she complained of pain in her side. She was rushed to Wayne County hospital where doctors told her family that she had a blood clot.

“They said a lot of times patients with COVID develop blood clots after they have COVID,” said Gibbons.

Doctors told her family this was the end and they needed to say goodbye.

“We believe that she could hear us and I told her that I’ll always love her and that she will be greatly missed. At the time those words weren’t good enough either I feel like,” said Gibbons.

The family says the coroner told them Kensey was still positive for COVID-19 at the time of her death. Now, her family is trying to come to grips with what happened as they arrange her funeral.

“We’re used to not seeing the girls for a couple of days where they go to their dad’s and they come back here so to us it just feels like she’s up there,” said Gibbons.

The family says there are shirts being made in Kensey’s honor, detailed with a rose to represent her middle name in her favorite colors, purple and black.