Sacred Heart mourns death of student after eating competition

Nelson Nelson Photo: Susan R. Bonnell / TAPinto Clark Photo: Susan R. Bonnell / TAPinto Clark Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Sacred Heart mourns death of student after eating competition 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

FAIRFIELD — Sixteen years ago, when she was 5, Caitlin Nelson lost her father, a Port Authority police officer, in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

As a young woman Nelson, a social work major at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, aided survivors of another tragedy — the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.

“It’s about healing and helping,” Nelson once told tapintoclark.net, a news website covering her hometown of Clark, N.J. “It’s about paying it forward.”

Now Nelson’s family and friends are mourning her unexpected death.

The 2021-year-old died Sunday after falling ill at a pancake-eating contest at the University Commons.

An autopsy is pending. Police said she had multiple food allergies and was choking during the contest.

While waiting for help to arrive, a nursing student began CPR after realizing Nelson’s pulse was diminished. Officers eventually cleared her airway by physically removing food from her throat.

Police said CPR was continued on the ride to the hospital. Nelson was first taken to St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, then transferred to Columbia University Medical Center on Friday.

Nelson, according to her social media profiles and media reports from her hometown, was a social work major, led campus fundraising efforts and volunteered supporting trauma victims, including at Sandy Hook.

"The Resiliency Center of Newtown was honored to have had Caitlin Nelson volunteer for us over the past several years,” said director Stephanie Cinque, in an email. “Caitlin helped with groups at the center, always offered an extra hand for events and was a counselor at both our camps. Caitlin always had a smile and loved the children as much as each of them loved and adored her. Caitlin will be missed immensely by the Newtown-Sandy Hook community, she touched the lives of so many and always did with such love."

She was motivated, at least in part, by the death of her father.

James Nelson participated in rescue efforts in both the 2001 and 1993 World Trade Center attacks, according to the Star-Ledger in New Jersey. In 1993, he braved heavy smoke despite his asthma to evacuate occupants from a bombing.

He was evacuating people from the building again on 9/11, this time from the 27th floor of one of the towers, when it collapsed, according to the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association.

It was at a 9/11 memorial service for her father in 2016 that Nelson told tapintoclark.net she and her sister had “worked with the survivors of the Sandy Hook School shooting as they struggle through their loss.”

A candlelight vigil at the school’s Chapel of the Holy Spirit drew thousands, and the university is providing counseling services to students. Sacred Heart’s flags also flew at half-staff Monday in Nelson’s honor.

“I wish to convey my deepest sympathies to Caitlin’s family, friends and to the Sacred Heart community,” Bridgeport Bishop Frank Caggiano wrote on his Facebook page Monday. “As we mourn Caitlin’s passing, we draw from yesterday’s powerful scripture, containing the shortest verse in the Gospel: ‘And Jesus wept.’ ”

Fairfield Police Chief Gary McNamara said his officers were also deeply moved by the tragedy.

“We were praying for a better outcome,” said McNamara. “Learning the tragedy that touched this family already ... our officers are certainly affected by this.”