POLK COUNTY, Fla. – UPDATE: D’Anthony Dorsey, the 24-year-old Auburndale High teacher who had been battling COVID-19 for the past month, has died.  

Dorsey died Tuesday night, according to his family.

A marine biology teacher, Dorsey spent several weeks at Lakeland Regional Hospital.

His mother, Lydia Dorsey, said her son had no pre-existing conditions or health issues. The family was unsure if he was vaccinated. 

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An Auburndale high school teacher was exposed to COVID-19 one week after school started. After three weeks in the hospital, doctors have told his family that his kidneys are failing.

What You Need To Know

  • D’Anthony Dorsey, an Auburndale high school teacher, on ventilator after COVID-19 exposure

  • Doctors told his family that his kidneys are now failing 

  • His mother is encouraging people to take their own precautions

“This can’t be happening to my baby – not my baby,” said mother, Lydia Dorsey. “He had no pre-existing conditions or any health issues; he’s only 24.”

Lydia Dorsey said her son, D’Anthony Dorsey is a marine biology teacher at Auburndale High School.

“He did everything right, he never got in trouble he was always a good kid; he doesn’t deserve this,” Dorsey said. “I wish it could have been me and not my baby.”

Dorsey told me she left her job in Atlanta after her son was diagnosed with COVID-19. She admits that at first, she knew for sure that he would only be in the hospital for a short amount of time because she says he’s always been healthy.

Now, three weeks later, she’s says her son’s condition is getting worse.

“He’s on a ventilator; it’s on 100% as strong as it can be to give him oxygen,” she said. “They have to lay him on his tummy and they kind of elevate his arms above him and you just watch his back go up in these jerking motions because you know it’s the machine pushing air and life into him.”

Dorsey said that on Sunday, doctors told her that her son’s kidneys are starting to fail. She admits that she’s not sure if he was vaccinated but she and his family hope others will hear his story and be encouraged to take their own precautions.

“These parents are fighting to send their kids to school without a mask,” Dorsey said. “Please understand before he was sick, he was at school teaching your children. Someone passed it to him - that’s how this works. What about it being the teacher? The cafeteria lady that’s preparing your kids food?”  

Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out to the Polk County School district who said they are keeping Dorsey in their prayers.

"D’Anthony Dorsey is a marine biology teacher at Auburndale High," Principal Tye Bruno said. "He began working at our school this past January, and immediately became a valued member of our faculty. He has been steadfast in his dedication to the students and staff members of Auburndale High. Students respect him and enjoy his gentle spirit and caring nature. We are all praying for his swift recovery."​

D’Anthony is currently in a medically induced coma. His family started a GoFundMe to help him push past some of the financial burdens that this has caused.

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