Family of grandfather who died after eating Quarter Pounders is heartbroken

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Family of man who died successful McDonald's E. coli outbreak says "it was very hard"

Family of man who died successful McDonald's E. coli outbreak says "it was very hard" 03:49

There has been 1 decease successful nan terrible McDonald's E. coli outbreak that affected much group successful Colorado than immoderate different state. That unfortunate -- JC Smith, 88 -- lived successful Grand Junction, and his family location says they are heartbroken.

"All he wanted to do was bask a hamburger pinch his wife. He put his spot successful these restaurants, and each we really want is our dada back," his girl Debbie Bonnell said.

The outbreak has been linked to onions utilized connected McDonald's Quarter Pounder sandwiches. Investigators judge those onions came from nan Taylor Farms distribution installation successful Colorado Springs. Those onions were pulled from affected McDonald's locations and Taylor Farms recalled yellowish slivered onions sent to different nutrient work operators.

There person been 90 cases reported successful 13 states, and Colorado had 26 group who reported nan unwellness and had it traced backmost to this outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says astir group retrieve from E. coli, but immoderate group person seen severe complications. That was nan lawsuit -- astatine first -- for Smith, whose afloat sanction was James Charles Smith.

Smith was a predominant McDonald's customers

JC Smith and his woman Doris often went retired for meal successful occidental Colorado and often visited nan aforesaid McDonald's, located not acold from their home. They ordered nan aforesaid repast each time: a Quarter Pounder.

After an early October sojourn he coiled up very sick and successful nan hospital, according to Bonnell.

After 4 days location he was released. The doctors said laboratory tests showed it was a lawsuit of E. coli. He did an question and reply pinch nan Mesa County Health Department earlier leaving.

"(The wellness section worker) asked 'Where did my parents eat?' because location was immoderate type of outbreak," Bonnell said. "But they were not going to opportunity wherever yet."

Sometime aft that hospitalization, Smith went backmost to nan McDonald's and had different Quarter Pounder. This time, erstwhile he sewage symptoms again and went to nan hospital, he coiled up dying. His decease was connected Oct. 20.

Smith was apt 1 of nan first group to beryllium identified arsenic having a affirmative E. coli lawsuit successful nan nationwide outbreak.

A strong, loving man

Bonnell says her dada was a Marine seasoned and wasn't slowing down successful life.

"Before he sewage sick he conscionable wanted to spell and do things, moreover though nan told maine his feet can't move arsenic well," she said.

He grew up successful Mississippi and worked arsenic a firefighter and later connected a postal work employee. The mates moved to Colorado successful nan 1980s. In Colorado he was a mini business proprietor and past a attraction head astatine Vail Run Resort. He returned to nan southbound for a stint but past moved backmost again to Mesa County.

This twelvemonth marked JC and Doris's 70th twelvemonth of marriage. They still took trips together and enjoyed playing pinch their great-grandchildren.

"All and all, my dada was a loving person. He was compassionate. If he needed to beryllium stern, you didn't want to beryllium connected that side," Bonnell said.

He had nan onions, she didn't

While Smith and his woman ever had Quarter Pounders astatine McDonald's, Doris isn't a instrumentality of onions.

"I took excavation disconnected and gave excavation to him," Doris said. "I consciousness blameworthy now because I gave him immoderate onions."

Doris says connected Oct. 3 she called her girl to fto her cognize nan usually beardown JC had abruptly go weak.

"Your daddy is very dizzy and he doesn't want to get retired of bed. He's acrophobic he mightiness fall," she said, recalling nan telephone conversation.

Bonnell said she went complete to her parents location correct away.

"My mother had been up each night. He had been successful nan bath each nighttime and he had nan bloody diarrhea and he was truthful weak," she said. "When I sewage present he was truthful anemic he couldn't walk."

Following nan 4 days astatine nan hospital, nan family wasn't alert that location was immoderate circumstantial edifice they should avoid.

"She didn't show maine (for us) not to spell retired to eat anymore," said Doris, referring to nan doctor's orders.

When JC sewage sick again aft eating astatine McDonald's, this clip it was overmuch worse.

"We watched my daddy person excruciating symptom for galore days -- thrashing his arms and legs around. It was very hard," Bonnell said. "I would clasp his manus and believe and show him to effort and rest, 'We are present pinch you' and 'We are getting thief for you.'"

Two days aft JC's decease wellness officials reported nan outbreak to nan public.

Sharing their communicative retired of concern

Bonnell said she wasn't readying connected "my dada going this way."

"We still had tons of plans," she said.

Smith's grandson Jim says his family is angry and they person questions astir if much could person been done to prevention their beloved family member. But nan logic they decided to speak publically astir what happened was because they are concerned for nan wellness of others.

"If you are retired location successful that statement of activity … and you suffer a level of interest aliases go complacent, accidents happen. Then you're going to beryllium held accountable. And erstwhile you talk astir taking people's loves ones and changing their lives permanently, others request to know," he said.

The Smiths astatine this constituent person not revenge a suit against McDonald's aliases anyone involved. Right now they opportunity each they want is nan man they loved back.

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