USA professor who died from COVID-19 remembered in “beautiful” memorial scholarship

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    MOBILE, AL (WALA ) — Just months after COVID-19 robbed Brian Axsmith of his life, a scholarship in his name pays tribute to the late University of South Alabama professor.

“The scholarship is one of the most beautiful things that can represent anything to do with Brian. His teaching and his research meant everything to him,” said his widow, Jennifer Axsmith.

The 57-year-old died on May 5th from complications because of the disease.

Axsmith says she never got to say goodbye to her husband after he called for an ambulance when he was having trouble breathing.

“When they finally realized they were gonna have to put him on a respirator I was only able to speak to him for maybe less than a minute because he was coughing so hard he couldn’t breathe.”

Doctors gave her a call the day before he died telling her they didn’t expect him to make it through the night.

“I never got to even give him a hug before he left to go to the hospital.”

Because of COVID-19 restrictions she wasn’t allowed in the hospital to see him.

His wife doesn’t want his death to be in vain, asking people to keep being cautious and take COVID-19 seriously.

Axsmith doesn’t want her husband’s death to be in vain.

She pleads with people to keep being cautious and take COVID-19 seriously so that other families won’t have to experience what her family has been through.

“Please, please just be careful with what you do, where you go and how you handle yourself and make decisions about things.”

She says the Brian Axsmith Memorial Scholarship in Biology is a beautiful way to remember him, carrying his legacy and love for plant fossils, supporting students interested in his field.

“He would love to know that students are going to have that opportunity to continue their education and do research type things. That’s what would have meant something to him.”

In a brief description about the scholarship, his department wrote that he was “a wonderful teacher and well known scholar who will be truly missed.”

Axsmith says she looks forward to seeing the scholarship grow into something that makes a big impact.

You can support the scholarship here: giving.southalabama.edu/axsmith

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