Mississippi school footballer critically ill after paraquat exposure
Zach Brown, 17, was transferred to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston and is reportedly receiving ECMO while being assessed for a possible lung transplant.
Zach Brown, a 17-year-old junior offensive lineman at Lake Cormorant High School in Mississippi, is critically ill at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston after accidental exposure to paraquat, a highly toxic agricultural herbicide.
Brown was transferred from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis for further care. Reports citing his family’s GoFundMe campaign say he is receiving ECMO and is being evaluated for a possible lung transplant.
His parents, brother and two sisters have travelled to Houston to be with him. The fundraiser, organised by Casey Nester, the wife of Lake Cormorant’s head football coach, is seeking support for Brown’s medical care and the family’s expenses.
The campaign had raised more than US$12,100 by Sunday afternoon, although the total may have since changed. The family’s account says Brown remains critically ill.
The Mississippi Poison Control Center described paraquat as an especially toxic herbicide. The Cleveland Clinic says the restricted-use agricultural chemical can cause serious injury or death after exposure, including following a small exposure.
