An investigation is underway to determine the cause of death of an

18-year-old University of Northern Iowa freshman.

Kevin Reedy, of Council Bluffs, was found unconscious and

unresponsive in his residence hall early Sunday morning, said

Jim O’Connor, University Marketing and Public Relations for UNI.

He said Reedy was taken to Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar

Falls, where he was later pronounced dead.

O’Connor said the incident is under investigation by the UNI

Department of Public Safety.

An autopsy will be performed by the state’s medical examiner.

Until a preliminary autopsy is complete in the next few days, the

cause of death will not be known, he said.

“Witnesses said [Reedy] was trying to clear something out of his

throat,” said David Zarifis, director of UNI Public Safety. “Our initial

investigation has found that alcohol played no significant role in

this incident.”

University officials would not release the results of a blood alcohol

test.

Zarifis said Reedy was found in the restroom of Dancer

Residence Hall where personnel responded quickly.

“I am extremely proud of the residence hall staff in their response,”

he said. “They did everything according to their training.”

Reedy’s death has left a void in the hearts of his family and

friends.

“It is awful, brutal – they were an all-American family with an

all-American son,” said Steve Rubes, an attorney in Council Bluffs

who is a friend of the Reedy family. “He is gone without any

reason.”

Reedy lettered in four sports his senior year at Louis Central High

in Council Bluffs, Rubes said. He said Reedy was an education

major at UNI.

“He was excited about going away to school,” Rubes said. “He

was going to walk on to the baseball team. He was very athletic

and was one of those kids who had a zest for life.”

Reedy is survived by his mother, father and two brothers, Rubes

said. His family, he said, wants Kevin’s friends and family to

remember their son and the good times.

“Kevin’s family really appreciates all of the love and support [from

the community],” Rubes said. “It means so much to them, and they

want everyone to remember who he was and not to grieve over

him.”