A VCU Facilities Management Department contract employee died of natural causes while at work Tuesday afternoon in the Temple building on the Monroe Park Campus.
Nora Ann Gaines, 62, told Broadcast Engineer for the College of Humanities and Sciences John Geerdes she was not feeling well around 2 p.m. and asked him for a glass of water.
“(Gaines) was in the audio bay, sitting in a chair,” Geerdes said. “(I) went to get her a cup of water and then I look back in the audio bay and she collapsed in the chair and fell on the floor.”
Geerdes said he ran over and felt Gaine’s pulse, and then ran back to his office and called the Mass Communications office upstairs, told them Gaines had collapsed and to call Richmond Police Department and VCU police.
Geerdes said he then went back to Gaines but felt no pulse. He began to perform CPR and continued to do so for about eight to ten minutes.
The phone rang and Geerdes said he assumed it was the VCU police. He informed the VCU Police of the situation and Gaines’ status. About seven to eight minutes later VCU Police along with paramedics arrived on the scene and assisted Gaines.
“I got very narrowly focused and just bouncing back and forth trying to do things,” Geerdes said. “I’m not sure I did them right but you do what you can do.”
According to Geerdes, he had known Gaines since she began working in the Temple Building and with the School of Mass Communications.
Adjunct Credit Faculty Instructor for the School of Mass Communications, Mary Owens said she had known Gaines for about three years.
“Nora was kind and gentle,” Owens said. “Whatever I needed she always made sure I had (it). She was just a very conscientious worker, always a pleasure to be around and I’m just devastated.”
Owens said she did not find out about the incident until Tuesday night.
Director of Communication and Public Relations, Pamela Lepley said en e-mail notification was issued to address the concerns of students and faculty.
“It was a natural death, it’s certainly sad and unfortunate,” Lepley said. “(Gaines) was an employee who was close to faculty in the (School of) Mass Communications.”
Owens said she feels apologetic for the loss of a university community member.
“(Gaines) was such a nice lady and I think she was looking for retirement,” Owens said. “I’m very sorry she didn’t get to enjoy that. If anyone earned that she did and of course I will miss her.”