‘I’ve had worse cases of the flu.’ Then COVID-19 took hold and Arkansas educator died

An Arkansas school superintendent died from COVID-19 just weeks after describing his symptoms as less severe than past flu illnesses.

Atkins Public School Superintendent Jody Jenkins died Tuesday from complications of the coronavirus, leaving behind his wife, two children and a son-in-law, according to the district. Jenkins graduated from the district and returned to lead the schools last year in what officials described as his “dream job.”

“He loved the community, he loved his school, and he adored all of the students,” the district said in a statement. “Please join us in praying for his family.”

On Sept. 13, Jenkins announced he tested positive for the virus after feeling symptoms. The superintendent said he always wore a mask, sanitized his hands and quarantined himself after the test, reassuring families and employees that he followed protocols.

“I can honestly say, I’ve had worse cases of the flu, but I will stay quarantined,” Jenkins said in a Facebook post.

Within a week, Jenkins was admitted to the intensive-care unit with pneumonia in both lungs and began receiving oxygen through a mask, his daughter, Jackie Moore, said on Facebook. A doctor told the family he could expect to be in the hospital a week, she said.

A few days later, Jenkins was put on a ventilator and transferred to a hospital in Little Rock, where a cardiovascular surgeon found numerous blood clots, his daughter said. The clots caused complications throughout his body in the days before his death, she said.

“We are so heartbroken and will miss him more than words can express,” Moore said. “We will spend the rest of our lives honoring and remembering his legacy.”

School districts across the U.S. are grappling with whether to provide in-person classes or remote learning during the pandemic. In Little Rock, teachers didn’t show up for in-person classes Monday as the union says it’s concerned about the risks of COVID-19 while the district administration has no plan to close schools, NPR reported.

Arkansas Education Secretary Johnny Key called the teachers’ decision an “absurd, eleventh-hour scheme to create even more disruption,” NPR reported.

This story was originally published September 29, 2020 at 1:14 PM with the headline "‘I’ve had worse cases of the flu.’ Then COVID-19 took hold and Arkansas educator died."