Dawn Wood, an enforcer at PAX East 2022 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center last week, has died after contracting COVID-19.
News of this first came about through a GoFundMe page set up to help with funeral and memorial costs. Wood came down with COVID after “being exposed during the convention.” Her mother had been checking up on her since her returning home, and after not hearing from her on Saturday, April 30, sent the police for a wellness check where it was discovered she had passed away.
After reaching out for comment, Fanbyte received the following response from the PAX team:
“Dawn was a beloved member of the Enforcer community who first joined us in 2014 and over the years Enforced in both the Expo Hall, supporting the Exhibitors and Attendees of the show, and in ‘Enforcerland,’ a department solely dedicated to supporting other Enforcers. She was a warm and welcoming presence, and someone who always took the time to help others. She loved PAX and gaming, she was a voracious reader, and she loved baking, crafting, and sharing her creations with others. Our community is devastated by her loss and she will be sorely missed.“
As of this writing, Wood’s fundraising goal has been met, but donations are still being accepted if anyone wants to help alleviate any costs that might come up in the coming days and weeks.
Enforcers at PAX East were in charge of upholding the event’s rules and regulations. This year, that notably included a masking mandate that required everyone at the event to wear a mask at all times, except for in designated areas meant for eating. In the week since PAX East 2022, there have been multiple reports of people testing positive for COVID-19, including some who tested positive and were exposed at the event itself.
