Young Student Dies In Cold Snap

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Gerald Belz, an 18-year-old student, was found dead outside the University of Iowa. University police found him unconscious outside a school building just before 3 am Wednesday. The young man reportedly fell victim to the alarming cold snap that has hit the midwestern United States. The young man, who was in his second semester at university and was originally from Cedar Rapids, was rushed to the hospital, where he later died, a spokesman for the University of Iowa informed PEOPLE.

The spokesperson adds that no criminal activity associated with the case is suspected. In an interview with CBS-affiliated KGAN channel, Belz's family said doctors confirmed that the student had no trace of alcohol on his body. While the investigation remains open, it is suspected that he died from the low temperatures, which were around -51 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Weather Service.

The country's Midwest, from the Dakotas to New York, is experiencing one of the most severe cold waves of the past two decades, according to The Weather Channel.

In Chicago it has already reached -23 degrees and in Wisconsin it has reached -30, according to weather reports. These freezing temperatures can be very dangerous. About eight deaths have already been reported in the United States from this cold snap, reports The New York Times. Residents of these areas have been warned to try not to leave their homes and to cover their mouths if they have to walk to protect their lungs from the cold wind.

The young student's father, Michael Belz, described him as "a calm and strong boy" to KCRB. He also revealed to Des Moines' KCCI TV channel that his son wanted to be a cardiologist and that he was a good human being: "I want people to remember him as a compassionate person."