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Citrus Heights Man Released From Hospital After Hantavirus Almost Kills Him

CITRUS HEIGHTS (CBS13) - Twenty-two-year-old Spencer Fry is finally home in Citrus Heights after a thirteen-day stint in the hospital with one of the ten most deadly viruses in the world.

A recent graduate of sac state, the anthropology major accepted a job as a seasonal worker at Bodie state park, in the eastern Sierra.  He was there only a month and a half before he contracted the Hantavirus.

Spencer's dad, Curtis Fry says, "it's horrible anyone who watches their child suffer like that it tears you up."

Spencer Fry came down with what local doctors concluded was the flu.  Lucky for fry his family was visiting at the time. His fever spiked and he complained of severe headaches. His family rushed him to the hospital

"After we got him home he was in the second stage of vomiting and within an hour he was going into respiratory failure," said Curtis.

Hantavirus is a serious respiratory disease transmitted by infected rodents mostly deer mice, through urine, droppings or saliva.

Back in 2010, 61-year-old Richard Johnson, also a seasonal state park worker at Bodie, died from contracting the Hantavirus.

Spencer's parents believe their son contracted hanta from the employee living quarters at the park, seen here in these family photos.

"It would kill me to hear that one of those seasonal workers contracted the hantavirus and their parents had to go through what we did," said Curtis.

The road recovery will take time. Spencer has some hearing loss and difficulty walking.  Curtis says his son is strong, "He's a fighter that why he's here today."

 

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