There has been one death in the severe McDonald's E. coli outbreak that affected more people in Colorado than any other state . That victim -- JC Smith, 88 -- lived in Grand Junction, and his family there says they are heartbroken.
"All he wanted to do was enjoy a hamburger with his wife. He put his trust in these restaurants, and all we really want is our dad back," his daughter Debbie Bonnell said. The outbreak has been linked to onions used on McDonald's Quarter Pounder sandwiches.
Investigators believe those onions came from the Taylor Farms distribution facility in Colorado Springs. Those onions were pulled from affected McDonald's locations and Taylor Farms recalled yellow slivered onions sent to other food service operators. There have been 90 cases reported in 13 states, and Colorado had 26 people who reported the illness and had it traced back to this outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says most people recover from E. coli , but some people have seen severe complications . That was the case -- at first -- for Smith, whose full name was James Charles Smith.
Smith was a frequent McDonald's customers JC Smith and his wife Doris often went out for dinner in western Colorado and frequently visited the same McDonald's, located not far from their home. They ordered the same meal every time: a Quarter Pounder. After an early October visit he wound up very sick and in the hospital, according to Bonnell.
After four days there he was released. The doctors .
