66-year-old William David Bennett has passed away two days after contracting flesh-eating bacteria in Florida sea.
Bennett and his wife Judy traveled from Tennessee to Florida to pay a visit to their daughter, Cheryl.
The incident happened only days after a 12-year-old girl had narrowly survived necrotizing fasciitis after visiting Florida.
Even though Bennett had no open wounds and he repeatedly covered his sealed scars, he was hospitalized the next day with agonizing pain in his legs, fever, chills, and a huge painful spot on his back.
Doctors prescribed antibiotics but after a few hours, he went coded, septic, and two days later, he passed away.
Further tests revealed he had contracted Vibrio vulnificus, a type of bacteria thriving in sea water and under-cooked shellfish.
Cheryl now wants to share Bennett’s story as a warning to people taking a vacation in Florida where dangerous bacteria are currently common.
She explained on Facebook: “When my parents got in town I was fanatical about Neosporin and liquid bandaid.
“My Dad didn’t have any open wounds. He had a couple places that were practicality healed small scratches on his arms and legs that I made sure were super sealed up. My mom religiously sun-blocked him. We were taking precautions and we were good, so I thought. We had a blast.”
She said that her father loved the water. But after a day of riding jet skis, taking a boat and enjoying the waters, Bennett woke up the next day with a fever and agonizing pain in his legs.
They immediately went back to a hospital in Memphis where doctors saw a black spot on his back. Staff suspected necrotizing fasciitis and he was prescribed antibiotics. But after a few hours, more blotches appeared and his heart stopped two times. The next day, Bennett passed away.
“I would never have taken my Dad in the water if there was a bacteria advisory but it would have been because I didn’t want him to get a stomach virus not because I t[h]ought it would kill him,” Cheryl added.
“(I realize there can still be bacteria without an advisory – just making the point that there was not a posted high level).”
She continued: “I knew you shouldn’t swim with an open wound but I didn’t realize he shouldn’t be in the water with his immune system. I feel like I should have known and that is something I will live with for the rest of my life.
“If I would have done more research I would have but I don’t think the general public realizes it either.”
“There is information out there but I didn’t find it all until it was too late,” Cheryl added. “I don’t want this to happen to anyone else. I don’t need anyone to tell me what we should or should not have done. We already know. It was too late for us.
“Please just pass this on so it can help someone else.”
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