When Andrew Summers, a former High Ridge Elks Lodge exalted ruler, turned 29 on Sept. 12, he was in a medically induced coma at an area hospital fighting COVID-19.
Summers, a 2011 Northwest High School graduate, died two weeks later, on Sept. 26.
His sister, Melissa Flora, 34, of unincorporated Fenton said Summers had no known medical conditions.
“As far as we are concerned, he was pretty healthy,” she said.
Flora said she believes her brother contracted the virus in early August and soon after went to an urgent care and got a negative test result.
“He still wasn’t feeling well and went back a couple days later and then tested positive,” she said.
Flora said her brother went to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis County on August 23 because he was having trouble breathing. He was later transferred to St. Luke’s Hospital in Chesterfield and put in the medically sedated coma.
Flora said it was “the worst thing ever” to see her brother like that.
“I hope nobody has to go through it,” she said. “He was bigger than me, but younger than me. So, he always sort of corrected me when I would say, ‘my little brother.’ He was like, ‘No, I am your younger brother.’ He was like 4 inches taller than me.”
Flora said her brother was a “typical boy.”
“If he wasn’t at the (High Ridge) Elks Lodge or hanging out with his friends, he was playing video games,” she said.
Flora said her brother had a big beard he was very proud of and entered several beard contests.
“I think the highest he ever placed was third,” she said. “He definitely took care of it, and it was kind of straggly on the ends, but it was like him.”
Caitlyn Gensler of Byrnes Mill, Summers’ longtime friend, said in addition to his beard, he was known for wearing sunglasses a lot.
Flora said her brother liked to give back to the community, like the Elks Lodge.
“He was very well loved by people, young and old,” she said.
Gensler said Summers was the exalted ruler of the High Ridge Elks Lodge from April 2019 to March 2021.
Flora said she didn’t know if Andrew was vaccinated against COVID-19.
“I did not (ask) because he was sedated the whole time and none of the doctors asked or I didn’t ask the doctors,” she said.
Flora said she did not want to share if she was vaccinated. However, she said she wishes people would stay home if they are sick.
“My biggest thing is seeing people out in public who are coughing,” she said. “You can tell they’re physically sick.”
BBQ Benefit
Friends and family have organized a fundraising barbecue to help cover the cost of funeral services and other expenses.
The barbecue will be from noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 7, at the High Ridge Elks Lodge, 2808 Old Hunning Road.
Flora said her brother had health insurance but no life insurance. She said his medical bills have not come yet, but the funeral cost several thousand dollars.
“He started a new job a couple months ago and at the time he didn’t have life insurance,” she said. “Unexpected things happen and people don’t have that much money.”
Gensler said Summers worked at Anodyne Surgical manufacturing ophthalmology needles.
The benefit also will include a cornhole tournament, bake sale, 50/50 raffle and silent auctions. To enter the cornhole tournament people can reach out to Flora at andrewsbenefit@outlook.com. It costs $20 per team.
Monetary donations or silent auction donations may be dropped off at the High Ridge Elks Lodge or the Cut Loose Salon, 4579 Hunter Lane, in House Springs, or Studio 30, 4531 Gravois Village Center, in High Ridge.