SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- A Slippery Rock University student from the Natrona Heights area of Harrison Township has died, possibly of bacterial meningitis.
Benjamin Swantner, 20, was an education major. He died at early Friday morning at Grove City Medical Center, just hours after his roommates had called the university's health center for him.
"He was just a really good friend of mine. He was seriously the first friend I made up here, so whenever I heard the news, I was just crushed," said Swantner's friend, Josh Destefano.
"I was in shock because I didn't even know anything was wrong with him or he even went to the hospital, nothing serious," said another friend, John Wisniowski.
Although there has been no official ruling yet on the cause of death, spokesman Karl Schwab said the university is alerting students because Swantner had all the symptoms of bacterial meningitis and his death is being treated that way.
"The disease is serious and those who have been in close contact, defined as having intimate contact with a person infected with the disease, should take appropriate steps. Intimate contact also includes sharing food or drink, close physical contact, including kissing, or prolonged close contact such as sitting next to an infected person in class or working with the infected person in small groups," said a statement from Schwab's office.
School officials said Swantner did have the meningitis vaccine.
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