Teenager Dies from Rare Illness-Scott Couch

A mid-state high school student dies of a rare illness over the weekend and now friends and relatives are still struggling to understand.

TENS is short for Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome. It killed 17-year-old Ravenwood High School senior Elizabeth
Patton in less than 3 weeks.

It's the second tragedy for Patton's Ravenwood classmates in less than 6 months. In June, Ravenwood senior Leif Brittain was shot to death while washing his truck in south Nashville.


Patton was number 10 on the Ravenwood Girls High School softball team.

Her name and number have been painted in the outfield by friends who can hardly believe she's gone.

Carrie Nesbit played sports with Patton since they were in 6th grade and considered her a good friend.

Nesbit says the illness that took Elizabeth's life struck about 2 weeks ago.

After being admitted to Vanderbilt Medical Center, relatives say Patton spent her last days in the burn unit in a medically-induced coma to protect her from the agony of painful blisters on her skin.

Patton's friend Nick Pease said, "When we heard it was getting worse none of us really thought it would get to the point of death just because she never really seemed like she could get to that point."

Pease says Patton was a fixture at Ravenwood ball games and had what seemed like a permanent smile.

Relatives don't know how Patton contracted TENS. Experts say it's a rare and severe reaction to drugs as common as ibuprofin and penicillin.

Nesbit says, "I mean it's definitely brought our class together but it's hard. I know we're going to overcome it but we just have to stay strong."

Friends say Elizabeth left a lasting impression on the hearts that knew her best.

Severe drug reactions like the one that killed Elizabeth account for about 150,000 deaths in the U.S. each year.
Teenager Dies from Rare Illness-Scott Couch