NH teen loses battle with rare form of pneumonia

PELHAM, N.H. (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) – A New Hampshire teenager fighting a rare and aggressive form of pneumonia lost his battle with the illness on Sunday.

Zach Andrews, 16, of Pelham, N.H., was fighting the bacteria for weeks. Posts on social media indicated that Zach was improving, but his health took a turn for the worse almost overnight.  

Zach's sudden death stunned students at Pelham High School, especially his friends.

Zach's friends told FOX 25 that the illness started out as a simple cold and then developed into pneumonia.  Friends also said one of Zach's lungs collapsed, and he was put in a medically induced coma.

The teen's mother, Nancy Andrews, told the Lowell Sun that doctors said the type of pneumonia Zach was suffering from could not be treated by standard antibiotics.

Students gathered Monday at Pelham High School where Zach's name has been duct-taped to a wall.

Zach was an honor student as a freshman and sophomore. His friends say that he was smart, witty, loveable, and that everyone wanted to be around him.

Before Zach passed away, friends began raising money to help his family with his medical bills. The friends have reportedly raised more the $5,000 which will go to Zach's family.

Cox Media Group