JC Smith visited the McDonald’s he had gone to numerous times with his wife and ordered his usual — a quarter pounder.
But a few days later on October 3, the 88-year-old Colorado native and marine veteran became severely sick, experiencing blood diarrhea and dizziness so severe he could no longer walk. He was rushed to the hospital and admitted for four days.
After his release, doctors informed him lab results revealed he had E.coli.
While a health department official interviewed the family and said they were investigating an E.coli outbreak, they didn’t reveal a potential source and so the Smiths didn’t think to avoid returning to their favorite McDonald’s.
Sometime after his return home, Mr Smith — who had visited the McDonald’s several times in late September — returned to the fast food chain and ordered another Quarter Pounder.
He once again got sick, but this time it was much worse. Mr Smith was in excruciating pain that became so bad he would thrash his arms and legs around. His daughter, Debbie Bonnell, said during these episode they would hold his hand and pray.
He died on October 20 and public health officials announced the outbreak two days later and revealed that the likely source of the E. coli was the onions in the Quarter Pounder.
And while both Mr Smith and his wife, Doris Smith, had the fast-food giant’s famous Quarter Pounder, Mrs Smith doesn’t like onions and she gave hers to her husband.
Mrs Smith told CBS Colorado: ‘I took mine off and gave mine to him. I feel guilty now because I gave him some onions.’
JC Smith, pictured above, showed no sign of slowing down despite his 88 years, his daughter said
Mr Smith is pictured above with his wife Doris, who said she now feels guilty because she used to give him the onions from her burger
At least 90 people in 13 states have been sickened in the outbreak; 27 people have been hospitalized and Mr Smith is the one death connected to the outbreak.
And at least two individuals — a 15-year-old girl and an 88-year-old woman — have developed serious kidney complications, which could leave them needing treatment for the rest of their lives.
Officials have now revealed that the chopped onions in the McDonald’s Quarter Pounders were likely the source of the outbreak. The onions are sourced from Taylor Farms, which has its head office in California.
The company recalled their produce and McDonald’s removed the Quarter Pounder from the menu. The burger has now returned, but in 700 restaurants it is currently being served without the onions.
Earlier this week, DailyMail.com revealed one of the victims in the outbreak was 17-year-old Silas Mayes.
The lively teen — who lost 10lbs due to his infection — has been left struggling to carry out daily tasks.
In Mr Smith’s case, his illness left him so sick he couldn’t walk, his daughter said.
She added: ‘My mother had been up all night. He had been in the bathroom all night and he had the bloody diarrhea and he was so weak.
‘When I got here, he was so weak he couldn’t walk.’
He died on October 20, with public health officials revealing the outbreak and its likely source — chopped onions — two days later
Mr Smith is pictured above riding a horse. During his second illness, he was described as being in excruciating pain
Mr Smith was in the ER for four days receiving treatment, and upon discharge was interviewed by a county health official.
Ms Bonnell said: ‘[The health department worker] asked where did my parents eat because there was some type of outbreak.
‘But they were not going to say where yet. She didn’t tell [us] not to go out to eat anymore.’
The family was not aware there were any restaurants they should avoid — so they returned to McDonald’s.
It wasn’t until two days after Mr Smith died that the health department informed the public of a possible outbreak.
Now, the Smith family has said they are sharing their story out of concern for others.
Mr Smith’s grandson Jim Smith said: ‘If you are out there in that line of work… and you lose a level of concern or become complacent, accidents happen.
‘Then you’re going to be held accountable. And when you talk about taking people’s loves ones and changing their lives permanently, others need to know.’
While the Smiths have said they do not yet plan to take legal action, the restaurant chain is already facing several lawsuits over the outbreak.
McDonald’s said previously that the cases were ‘devastating’.
A spokesperson added: ‘We know that people and families have been significantly impacted, and the well-being of our customers is deeply important to us.’
Among other victims was 17-year-old Silas Mayes from Colorado, who visited McDonald’s with his father for lunch in early October.
The burger both looked and tasted normal, but three days later he woke up in the night suffering from bloody diarrhea and cramps that were ‘the worst pain I have ever experienced,’ he told DailyMail.com.
He lost 10lbs because of the infection, and is still ‘very weak’ — struggling to go back to daily tasks.