A Missouri school secretary died from head injuries sustained after she was kicked in the head by a crowd surfer at a rock festival.

Danielle Uskiwich, 28, passed away on Tuesday, May 26, ten days after being accidentally struck in the head by another concertgoer while watching the rock band Sleep Theory perform at Pointfest in Maryland Heights, Missouri, on May 16, her family said.

“It is with absolutely shattered hearts that we share that our beautiful Danielle passed away on May 26th at 1:54 PM,” her cousins wrote on GoFundMe on Wednesday.

Uskiwich, an attendance secretary at St. Charles High School—just six miles north of the concert venue—initially thought little of the injury. However, three days after the concert, she was hospitalized with a severe headache.

Doctors discovered a brain bleed, which they believe was caused by the kick from the stranger. During her week-long hospitalization, Uskiwich suffered two strokes and underwent emergency surgery, during which doctors removed six pints of blood and several blood clots.

Her family revealed that an unidentified “underlying condition” was discovered during the surgery, which likely would have gone unnoticed had it not been for the brain bleed.

Following the procedure on May 22, Uskiwich was placed in a medically induced coma to reduce swelling in her brain while her body recovered.

In a final heroic act, Uskiwich donated her organs before passing away.

“Even through unimaginable grief, Danielle’s immediate family made the incredibly selfless decision to honor her giving spirit through organ donation so that others may have a second chance at life,” her grieving relatives wrote.

Uskiwich was honored with a “beautiful honor walk” through the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, surrounded by family, friends, and hospital staff, before being transported to St. Louis’ Mid-America Transplant for organ donation.

Uskiwich had celebrated her engagement to fiancé Jason in August 2025, and the couple had planned to marry in April.

“We have a long road ahead of us, but we’re going to get there! There’s no one tougher in the world to get through this,” Jason wrote on May 23. “I love you so much!! You have 11 months to get ready for the aisle, baby!”

Uskiwich was also remembered as a lifelong St. Louis Blues fan, with TJ Oshie as her favorite player, and for her love of music and traveling.

“Danielle was loved by so many. She had the kindest heart, a beautiful smile, and a spirit that could light up any room. She was the kind of person people naturally gravitated toward because of her warmth, humor, and the way she made others feel seen and loved,” her family wrote.

Pointfest is the annual music festival hosted by local alternative rock radio station 105.1 “The Point,” held at the 20,000-seat Hollywood Casino Amphitheater, 22 miles from downtown St. Louis. Headliner Staind closed the show after performances by Blue October, Mammoth, Highly Suspect, Sleep Theory, and other bands.

The venue features 7,000 partially covered general admission seats and additional capacity for 13,000 on the lawn.