Joe Louis' Sister, 92, Freezes to Death

[flashl]

Source: Washington Post

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. -- The 92-year-old sister of boxing great Joe Louis, was found frozen to death outside her apartment at an assisted-living center, authorities said.

The body of Vunies High, who had Alzheimer's disease, was found Monday outside The Heatherwood retirement complex in Southfield, a Detroit suburb, said Capt. Tom Colombo of Southfield emergency medical services.

High, who spent 25 years as a teacher and counselor for Detroit Public Schools, was last seen Sunday. When she was found, she was dressed only in pajamas and was wearing one shoe, with the other lying nearby. An autopsy shows she died of hypothermia.

An official at Swanson's Funeral Home in Detroit confirmed that High was Louis' sister. A message seeking comment was left Wednesday at The Heatherwood.

Washington Post

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/20/AR2008022003188.html

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RIP Vunies High.

[Bicoastal]

1. Joe Louis? Wow...

...I wouldn't have thought he had any immediate family left.

92 years old...God rest her soul.

[ingac70]

2. Poor thing...

that news just ruined my day.. Now I'm going to be sad thinking about some old dear freezing to death.

92 year olds should die peacefully in their sleep, not this way. :(

[puerco-bellies]

3. She was a reletive of one of our own, MrScorpio

He posted that she died earlier today.
R.I.P. and a hug for MrScorpio
:hug:

[qwlauren35]

4. It's so difficult to avoid.

My grandmother had Alzheimers, and it was a while before she could be persuaded to go to a nursing home. She wandered the streets for years.

An assisted living center isn't designed to keep an eye on those who can't cry out for help.

Alzheimers may look like a painless disease, but its actually insideous and overwhelming for those who have it, and everyone around them.

[zanne]

5. Horrible.

My mom had Alzheimer's. We had to put locks high up on the doors so she wouldn't go outside by herself. What a horrible way to die.

[theHandpuppet]

6. As I recall, didn't her brother Joe also have Alzheimers?

Does it run in families?

[Thothmes]

7. I don't know if he had Alzheimer's

Being a prize fighter for as many years as he was had to have caused some damage to his brain. His death was almost as tragic. Died penniless. Max Schmelling paid for his funeral.

[hadrons]

10. Louis wasn't hit too often, but he did have mental issues more due to drugs ...

than the ring ... also in his last years in was in poor physical health

[LostinVA]

9. Yes, it does

[lonestarnot]

8. Poor little woman.

Although the care was deficient, my preference is to take a cold walk in the woods rather than be in one of those joints.