A fan of McDonald’s who died after an E.coli outbreak linked to the chain’s Quarter Pounders has been named.
James Charles “JC” Smith’s family was very sad because they said he trusted the fast food chain’s restaurants.
Big Macs
The dad and his wife Doris would often eat dinner at the same branch near their Grand Junction, Colorado, home.
The couple always got a Quarter Pounder for dinner.
JC was rushed to the hospital after getting sick after a visit in late September.
After four days, the Marine veteran was let go after tests showed it was an E.coli case.
But when the dad went back to the same McDonald’s and ordered a Quarter Pounder again, he was taken to the hospital again and tragically died on October 20.
Deb Bonnell, JC’s sad daughter, told CBS News, “All he wanted to do was eat a hamburger with his wife.”
“He trusted these restaurants, and all we want is our dad back.”
“He wanted to do things before he got sick, even though they told me his feet do not move as well.”
She went on, “We saw my dad thrashing his arms and legs around in terrible pain for many days.” It was really tough.
“I would hold his hand, pray, and tell him, ‘Try to rest. We are here with you. We are getting help for you.'”
Jim, JC’s son, said, “All in all, my dad was a loving person.” He cared about people.
“You did not want to be on that side when he had to be strict.”
After her father’s first stay in the hospital, Debbie called the Mesa County Health Department.
“There was some kind of outbreak,” she said. “The health department worker asked me where my parents ate.”
“But they were not going to say where yet.”
Last Tuesday, just two days after JC Smith’s death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that dozens of people in ten states got sick after eating at McDonald’s.
The governing body says that most people who get E.coli get better, but some may have serious problems.
More than half of the 49 cases that have been reported are in Colorado. Nine more are in Nebraska, which is close by.
The onions used in McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers have been linked to the bad smell.
The onions may have come from the Taylor Farms distribution plant in Colorado Springs, according to the police.
Because of the possible E. coli contamination in several states, McDonald’s has stopped using fresh sliced onions and beef patties in Quarter Pounders.
It has also stopped selling Quarter Pounders in the states that are affected. Other menu items are still being sold.
Fresh onions that were sent to restaurants like Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell have also been called back.
It did not matter how many times JC Smith and his wife came, Doris would always take the onions off of her Quarter Pounder.
“I took mine off and gave mine to him,” the sad wife told CBS News.
“Giving him onions made me feel bad now.”
When JC got sick for the first time on October 3, Doris called her daughter because her husband had suddenly become weak.
It was then that she said, “Your dad is feeling really sick and does not want to get out of bed.” He is scared that he will trip and fall.
Debbie ran to her parents’ house right away and said, “My mom had been up all night.”
“He had been to the bathroom several times all night, had bloody diarrhea, and was very weak.”
“He was so weak he could not walk when I got here.”The family did not know of any particular McDonald’s that JC and his wife should stay away from, so they went back for another meal.
“She did not tell me that we should not go out to eat anymore,” Doris said about the health officials.
In response to the outbreak, Joe Erlinger, President of McDonald’s USA, released a video statement on Tuesday night.
“Food safety is very important to me and everyone at McDonald’s, so I wanted to take a minute to give you an update that we are spreading around,” he said.
After consulting with regulatory bodies such as the CDC, USDA, and FDA, we have taken steps today to remove slivered onions, which are used in Quarter Pounders, from restaurants in some states.
“We also decided that the Quarter Pounder would not be served in restaurants in some states for a while.”
He made it clear that “the majority of states and the majority of menu items are not affected.” Other beef products, like the Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble, and Double Cheeseburger, had not been affected either.
