Concord Mourns the Loss of a Popular Seventh-Grader

CONCORD, NH - The community is mourning the loss of a popular Rundlett Middle School student that was taken off life support earlier today after an unexpected illness.

Molly Banzhoff, the daughter of Concord School Board member Barbara Higgins and Ken Banzhoff, passed away on May 7, 2016. She was 13.

Molly was struck by a migraine headache and nausea last weekend and was rushed to Concord Hospital, where doctors found a brain tumor. She was then taken to Dartmouth Hitchcock where the tumor was successfully removed on May 2. However, after the surgery, Molly did not respond to post-surgery testing and never woke up. The family, according to a post Higgins made on Facebook today, removed her from life support at noon.

Residents of the capital city spent the last week rallying around the Banzhoff-Higgins family to help. Higgins was a popular high school teacher and a long-time Concord School District employee until she publicly opposed the district’s controversial $90.8 million elementary school consolidation project and was railroaded out of her job.

At post time, more than $26,000 had been raised via a YourCaring.com effort to help the family offset medical costs. The Concord Dance Academy, where the Banzhoff girls took classes and performed, printed up and sold “#HeartMollyB T-shirts, raising $4,500 more. Fellow students also wore pink last week in honor of Molly.

In a note on Facebook, Higgins thanked members of the community for all their support during this difficult time.

“From the very bottom of my heart I want to thank each and everyone of you for the support you have given my family this week,” she said. “Please continue as the next days and weeks will be unfathomably difficult.”

Concord NH Patch will post funeral arrangements when they become available.