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Government report states mutated bug has sickened dozens
By Jim Carney and Katie Byard Beacon Journal staff writers
Published on Saturday, Nov 17, 2007
The mother of a Norton U.S. Air Force airman who died in August was surprised to learn Friday that nine others had died of the same virus.
''I didn't realize there were so many people who had died from the same thing,'' said Michelle Villers of Norton.
''All of a sudden, out of nowhere, my healthy daughter becomes terribly sick and actually died from something like this. Then other people, as well. I don't know where to put this in my thinking.''
Paige Renee Villers, 19, was the only one to
die of the disease at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio after an outbreak among recruits this year.
Michelle Villers and her husband, Don, learned of the other deaths caused by the adenovirus on Friday from news reports.
A report issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the virus — a mutated version of the common cold virus — has killed 10 people in the last 18 months and sickened dozens of others.
CDC officials said Thursday they don't consider the mutation to be a cause of alarm for most people.
Some of the news reports Friday included images of Paige Renee Villers in uniform.
Michelle Villers said her husband was watching a morning news show Friday ''and her picture was on there. He was totally shocked . . . the picture is all over the Internet.''
Airman Villers began basic training in March and became ill in April.
Later, she was diagnosed with mononucleosis and viral pneumonia and placed in a medically induced coma. She was placed on dialysis when her kidneys failed.
She then began occupational rehabilitation to rebuild her muscles and was able to graduate from basic training on July 20.
''She was very determined . . . she had built up enough strength to go by wheelchair and with an oxygen tank to the graduation ceremony,'' where she received a medal of meritorious service, Michelle Villers said.
She died Aug. 7.
The 2006 Norton High School graduate was buried at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman.
Michelle Villers said the illness ''is confusing and scary . . . I never thought it would end like this.''
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Jim Carney can be reached at 330-996-3576 or jcarney@thebeaconjournal.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The mother of a Norton U.S. Air Force airman who died in August was surprised to learn Friday that nine others had died of the same virus.
Get the full article here.
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