Erath 21-year-old dies of COVID complications

ERATH — The community of Erath is mourning the loss of one of its own.
André Touchet, 21, died from COVID-19 complications Monday afternoon in a Lafayette hospital.
Touchet, who graduated from Erath High in 2017, was a UL student and had to be hospitalized on Dec. 5 with COVID 19. Three days later, he was placed on a ventilator in ICU and began his biggest fight.
The fight ended Monday afternoon and posted on social media a few hours later.
Funeral arrangements are still pending as of Tuesday afternoon.
His parents are Jeremy and Laurie Touchet and the brother of Ann-Racheal.
André is the 98th person in Vermilion Parish to die from complications of COVID-19. He also may be one of the youngest from the parish to lose his life from the virus.
André played football and baseball at Erath High. For the last six weeks, his friends and family prayed for recovery. There was hope he might have been placed on the lung transplant list.
One of those who prayed was a classmate and good friend Bren Faulk. Faulk cherished Andre’s friendship.
“My friendship with Andre stood the test of time and will last forever,” said Faulk. “Genuine friends are tough to find, and when you do find them, we should treasure them forever. André is one of my best friends and has always kept me grounded. He always told me the reality as it is and remained with me through ups and downs.
If you have ever had such a friend, who has always been there for you through thick and thin, but is now separated from you, through death, you realize that such a loss is irreplaceable. That describes our friendship. Our lives will go on, but my friendship with André will be with me forever!”
André graduated from Erath High four years ago, and the school is taking the loss of one of their own hard.
“It’s hard to put into words the emotions that are triggered when one of our very own Bobcats is taken from our tight-knit community,” said EHS Principal Marc Turner. “André was full of life and had a unique bond with the boys in his 2017 alumni class. They were more like brothers than classmates.
Turner said André was, “Laid back, smiling, laughing, academically strong and had a genuine heart. A true Bobcat spirit that will always be remembered, never forgotten and always loved.”
Erath head football coach Eric LeBlanc said, “It was a sad day for Bobcat Nation on Monday learning about Andre’s passing. He was a great kid on and off the field. Worked hard at his craft both in football and baseball. The bond we created as a team (coaches/players/teammates) through the countless hours together can never be broken. He will live on through the Blue & White for years to come. His memory and fight over the last few months will always serve as a reminder to us that we can never take the small daily opportunities for granted. We will never forget him. Once a Bobcat, always a Bobcat.”