Last month, JC Smith visited the McDonald’s he’d been to countless times with his wife and ordered his usual: a Quarter Pounder hamburger.
But a few days later, on October 3, the 88-year-old Colorado native and maritime veteran became seriously ill, experiencing bloody diarrhea and dizziness so severe that he could no longer walk.
He was rushed to hospital and was hospitalized for four days. Lab results showed he had E.coli, a deadly bacterial infection.
A health department official interviewed the family and said they were investigating an outbreak of E.coli, but the Smiths claim they were unaware of the source.
So the family thought nothing of returning to McDonald’s, where Mr. Smith again ordered his favorite burger.
Within days, Mr. Smith became violently ill, with excruciating stomach pains that became so severe that he was throwing his arms and legs around.
His daughter, Debbie Bonnell, said they would hold his hand and pray during this episode.
He died on October 20 and public health officials announced the outbreak two days later, revealing that the likely source of the E. coli was the onions in the Quarter Pounder.
JC Smith, pictured above, showed no signs of slowing down despite his 88 years, his daughter said
Mr Smith is pictured above with his wife Doris, who says she now feels guilty for giving him the onions from her burger
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 gave hers to her husband.
Mrs. Smith told CBS Colorado: “I took mine off and gave it to him. I now feel guilty because I gave him some onions.”
At least 90 people in 13 states have fallen ill during the outbreak; There are 27 people hospitalized and Mr Smith is the only death linked to the outbreak.
At least two people – a 15-year-old girl and an 88-year-old woman – have developed serious kidney complications that could require treatment for the rest of their lives.
Officials have now revealed that the chopped onions in McDonald’s Quarter Pounders were likely the source of the outbreak.
The onions come from Taylor Farms, located in California.
The company recalled their products and McDonald’s removed the Quarter Pounder from the menu.
The burger is now back, but it is currently served without onions in 700 restaurants.
Earlier this week, DailyMail.com revealed that one of the victims in the outbreak was 17-year-old Silas Mayes.
The lively teenager – who lost five kilos due to his infection – is struggling to carry out daily tasks.
In Mr. Smith’s case, his illness made him so ill that he could no longer walk, his daughter said.
She added: “My mother had been up all night. He had been in the bathroom all night and had bloody diarrhea and he was so weak.
“When I got here, he was so weak he couldn’t walk.”
Mr. Smith died on Oct. 20, with public health officials announcing 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
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Mr. Smith spent four days in the emergency room receiving treatment, and after discharge was interviewed by the county health officer.
Ms Bonnell said: ‘(The health department worker) asked where my parents were eating because there was some sort of outbreak.
‘But they wouldn’t say where yet. She didn’t tell us we couldn’t eat out anymore.’
The family didn’t know there were restaurants to avoid, so they returned to McDonald’s.
It wasn’t until two days after Mr. Smith died that the health department informed the public about 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: ‘When you’re in that line of work … and you lose a level of concern or become complacent, accidents happen.
‘Then you will be called to account. And when you’re talking about taking people’s loved ones and permanently changing their lives, others need to know that.”
Although the Smiths have said they have no plans to take legal action yet, the restaurant chain is already facing several lawsuits over the outbreak.
McDonald’s previously said the cases were “devastating.”
A spokesperson added: ‘We know people and families have been significantly affected, and the wellbeing of our customers is of great importance to us.’