Sorority girl, 20, dies after choking during a Greek life pancake-eating contest

  • Witnesses say Caitlin Nelson, 20, fell to the floor and started shaking after eating four or five pancakes at the contest on Thursday 
  • She died at a New York City hospital on Sunday 
  • Nelson was the vice president of her sorority, Kappa Delta, and her dad, a Port Authority police man, died in the Twin Towers on 9/11
  • Hundreds gathered at Sacred Heart University Sunday night to hold a candlelight vigil for the student

A Sacred Heart University sorority girl died this weekend, three days after choking during a Greek life pancake-eating competition at the Fairfield, Connecticut school.

Caitlin Nelson, 20, of Clark, New Jersey, passed away Sunday at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City.

Witnesses at the Greek life dinner Thursday night said Nelson had eaten about four or five pancakes when she suddenly fell to the floor and started shaking uncontrollably.

On Sunday, thousands took part in a candlelight vigil in Nelson’s honor at the Fairfield, Connecticut campus.

Two nursing students who were there immediately began lifesaving measures and were quickly joined by police officers and paramedics, Kalamaras said.

She was taken to a hospital in Bridgeport in critical but stable condition and transferred on Friday to New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center, where she died on Sunday.

Fairfield Police Lt. Bob Kalamaras said Nelson suffered from food allergies but that they did not contribute to her death.

‘It’s a tragic event that started out as something fun,’ said Fairfield police Lt. Bob Kalamaras.’It was just a tragic accident.’

Nelson was five years old when her dad James, a Port Authority police officer, died in the 9/11 attacks.

Police say Nelson had food allergies but that they did not play a roll in her death. She’s pictured above with a young man who appears to be her boyfriend.