A family from Colorado is sharing their story after their father became the first death linked to an E. coli outbreak associated with McDonald’s this past month.

James Charles Smith, also known as JC Smith, was a resident of Grand Junction in western Colorado. His family shared that he frequently visited McDonald’s with his wife, Doris, according to news outlet KCNC-TV.

His typical order was the Quarter Pounder, which is now connected to the E. coli outbreak impacting the fast-food chain.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began investigating the outbreak on October 22, identifying fresh, sliced onions served with the Quarter Pounder and other menu items as the likely cause.

The CDC reported that the affected McDonald’s locations received their onions from Taylor Farms, a facility based in Colorado, which has since recalled the yellow onions.

As of October 30, the CDC noted that the outbreak has spread to 13 states, resulting in 90 reported cases, 27 hospitalizations, and one death.

The CDC confirmed that the single death linked to the outbreak involved “an older adult in Colorado.”

Following the outbreak, McDonald’s temporarily removed the Quarter Pounder from roughly 20% of its locations but later reinstated it once Colorado Department of Agriculture tests found that the beef patties from the affected sites were free of E. coli.

On October 27, McDonald’s announced the reintroduction of the Quarter Pounder, clarifying that the burgers would be sold without sliced onions at the 900 restaurants supplied by Taylor Farms in Colorado Springs.

At least three lawsuits have been filed in relation to this incident.

Frequently enjoyed Quarter Pounders together

Smith fell ill after having a Quarter Pounder last month and passed away on October 20. His family indicated that this was not the first time he had fallen ill after dining at McDonald’s.

His daughter Debbie Bonnell mentioned that he visited the restaurant in late September and subsequently had to be hospitalized. He felt weak, dizzy, and had diarrhea, with his inability to walk properly being alarming, she recounted to KCNC-TV.

After spending four days in the hospital, he was released, but lab tests indicated he had an E. coli infection, according to her report to the station.

During this time, Bonnell communicated with the Mesa County Health Department, who inquired about his recent dining experiences.

She reports that a staff member from the health department mentioned an ongoing outbreak but did not disclose which restaurant was involved at that point.

Doris Smith, JC’s wife, expressed frustration that health officials did not inform them adequately of the situation.

“They didn’t warn us against dining out,” she stated, reflecting on the conversation with health department staff.

After recovering, Smith returned to McDonald’s for another Quarter Pounder, only to experience severe pain afterward, his daughter reported. Doris mentioned that she had scraped her onions off the burger and ended up giving some to her husband.

“I regret it now because I shared my onions with him,” she admitted to the outlet.

He was taken to the hospital once more and unfortunately passed away on October 20, just as news of the outbreak was released.

Family remembers a dedicated Marine veteran

Debbie Bonnell shared with KCNC-TV that her father was a Marine veteran from Mississippi. He had careers as a firefighter and later with the U.S. Postal Service.

The couple moved to Colorado in the 1980s, where he started a business and eventually became the maintenance manager at Vail Run Resort. Although he had moved away for some time, he returned to Mesa County, as reported by the outlet.

This year, they marked their 70th wedding anniversary.

The family expressed anger and concern over the risks to others following this incident but has not pursued legal action, according to the outlet.

“He just wanted to have a burger with his wife,” his daughter stated. “He trusted these places, and all we wish for is to have our dad back.”

In response to the outbreak, McDonald’s USA President Joe Erlinger shared a video in late October, outlining the company’s efforts to ensure food safety.

Erlinger noted the company’s collaboration with public health authorities to investigate the situation, affirming, “I understand that our bond is based on trust. You count on us to serve you.”

“We sincerely apologize on behalf of the McDonald’s team for any inconvenience caused. We strive to ensure that our food is safe at all times.”

Contributors: Natalie Neysa Alund, James Powel, Mike Snider, YSL News.

This article has been revised to fix a citation error.