NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A Massachusetts college student from Rockland County died after choking at a hot dog eating contest over the weekend.
Tufts University student Madelyn "Madie" Nicpon, 20, died at a Boston area hospital on Sunday, a day after she fell unconscious during a charity fundraiser off-campus, according to the Journal News.
Nicpon choked as she was taking part in a hot dog eating contest Saturday afternoon at a “private, rental property” in Somerville, Tufts University said in a statement.
Nicpon was a star student and athlete who graduated from Suffern High School in 2019. She was reportedly pursuing medicine at Tufts, where she played lacrosse and was nicknamed “Scooter” by her team.
Some 3,000 students, faculty and staff from the college are said to have attended a vigil for Nicpon on Sunday night.
The lacrosse team posted a tribute to her on its Instagram page, writing, “We are beyond heartbroken to share the news of the passing of junior Madie Nicpon — ‘Scooter.’”
“Scooter was a true friend and teammate. She truly valued her relationships with her teammates and coaches. Her reach was far beyond our team — she was a true connector on campus and touched every single person she met,” the team said.