Virginia father dies of listeria after eating Boar’s Head sausage sold in stores across the country
A father of three and Holocaust survivor has died from listeria after eating a sausage that caused a nationwide outbreak.
Günter ‘Garshon’ Morgenstein, 88, hid under floorboards during World War II to escape the Nazis, then fled to America with his brother.
He settled in a small town in Virginia, where he regularly bought Boar’s Head liverwurst because it reminded him of the food in his native Germany.
But in July of this year, and a few days after eating one of their sausages, he became fatigued and had difficulty breathing and was rushed to hospital.
According to doctors, he had been infected with listeria and had developed meningitis, a fatal brain inflammation.
Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein, a father of three from Newport, Virginia, is pictured above with his wife, Peggy. He died after contracting a listeria infection after eating Boar’s Head deli meats
Mr. Morgenstein pictured in a family photo. He survived the Holocaust but later died of an infection caused by meat products
He died on July 18 of this year, just ten days after being admitted.
His son Garshon told his father’s story to DailyMail.com: ‘I think this is one of the biggest things that shocked my mother and I the most: that he survived the Holocaust and died years later from the effects of processed meat.
“It’s actually ridiculous when you think about it. That’s part of the irony of the whole story.”
Boar’s Head has now recalled approximately 7.5 million pounds of processed meats after the CDC linked cases of listeria to its liverwurst products.
Since the outbreak began, a total of 43 people have been hospitalized across 13 states. Three people have died.
It’s unclear how the meat sold by this supermarket chain became contaminated, but listeria bacteria can remain on surfaces and get into cutting tools and countertops if they’re not thoroughly cleaned regularly, increasing the risk of contamination and an outbreak.
Boar’s Head responded to Mr. Morgenstein’s case in a statement: “We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on the families affected.
“There are no words that can fully express our sympathy and the sincere and deep pain we feel for those who have suffered loss or illness.”
Friends and family described Mr. Morgenstein as a friendly and outgoing person, and a pillar of the community.
He worked as a hairstylist and climbed the ranks until he started working at the exclusive Paul Mitchell salon, where he styled the hair of stars such as Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones and Muhammad Ali.
He continued to work for over 50 years and was still a barber when the disease struck, saying he loved the artistic side of the business and his clients.
His son added to USA TODAY: ‘My dad was a very outgoing person. He would go to, like, 7-Eleven and we’d be in the car and I’d say, “You see that guy standing there, I bet you $5 you won’t talk to that guy up there,” and he’d say, “Of course I will.”
After World War II, Mr. Morgenstein fled to the US via East Germany and Canada
He had eaten a Boar’s Head liverwurst the day before he got sick, which is now included in the multi-state recall for listeria-contaminated products
“So he went outside and talked to the guy for a few minutes. That was just a crazy thing that was so astonishing to me because he could talk to anybody.”
Boar’s Head is now being sued by the family, led by attorney Anthony Coveny of Ron Simon and Associates, who are seeking damages for the loss of their father.
It is just one of several lawsuits the company is facing, including that of 88-year-old Sue Fleming of Missouri, who became “deathly ill” after eating their liverwurst.
She is now recovering from the infection, but she says she was too weak to walk for weeks and has suffered neurological problems.
It has also put a strain on her marriage. She is seeking more than $25,000 in damages.
Others have also filed lawsuits against Boar’s Head, including Sue Fleming, 88, of Missouri, who became “deathly ill” after eating the products
In another case, pregnant Minnesota woman Ashley Solberg is seeking damages after she claims the illness she contracted from the meat caused her to nearly lose her child.
She was 36 weeks pregnant when she contracted listeria and is now seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
According to the CDC, about 1,600 people become infected with listeria each year, usually through food, and 260 people die from the infections.
For most people, Listeria food poisoning is an inconvenience that goes away after a few days, with nausea and diarrhea.
But older adults, pregnant women, and people with underlying conditions – who have weaker immune systems – are at greater risk of serious illness.
Doctors say in severe cases, the bacteria can leave the gut and enter the bloodstream, potentially causing meningitis or sepsis, which can be life-threatening.
Boar’s Head urges customers to throw away the recalled products or return them to the store for a full refund.
Mr. Morgenstein is pictured above in a family photo. Doctors said he suffered severe and permanent brain damage during his illness
He was also a famous hairstylist, cutting the hair of clients such as Engelbert Humperdinck
Doctors tried to discharge Mr Morgenstein after two days in hospital, but his 80-year-old wife Peggy refused, saying something was still “not right”.
Then things slowly went downhill and he was transferred to intensive care, where he became so weak that he could only communicate by shaking and nodding his head.
Doctors gave him antibiotics, but when he didn’t improve after a few days, they warned that he was unlikely to recover.
And even if that were the case, they said he would likely be left with a disability and would not be the same man his family remembered.
“We didn’t want to see him suffer anymore,” his son said. “Doctors said even if he survived, there was a 90 percent-plus chance he would have some form of brain damage.”
Mr. Morgenstein was born in 1936 in Cottbus, Germany, about 100 km south of Berlin, into a Jewish family.
He escaped the Nazis by going into hiding and fled to America via East Berlin in 1954. He traveled on to Canada to meet his brother, who had left a few years earlier.
He had worked in hair salons in Germany since he was 13, where he found work after lying about his age. He then moved to Newport, Virginia, where he pursued a career in hair styling and cosmetology.
At the hospital, he was quickly transferred to intensive care, where doctors tried in vain to treat his illness with antibiotics.
After his death, the family made a connection between his illness and the liverwurst by comparing the product on his receipt to the product included in the recall.
His son doesn’t know exactly how much compensation the Boar’s Head family is seeking, and he says that’s not the goal of the case.
“This is to make other people aware of this, that’s really one of my goals. I just want to create more awareness about the whole situation,” he said.
“I know that’s what my father would want: to spread the message and make everyone aware of listeria.”
Mr. Morgenstein is survived by his wife Peggy, three children and grandchildren.