High School Football Player Hospitalized After Accidentally Being Exposed to Highly Toxic Herbicide

High School Football Player Hospitalized After Accidentally Being Exposed to Highly Toxic Herbicide https://ift.tt/O79qmYT

The EPA said “one small sip” of paraquat, which is used to treat weeds, “can be fatal and there is no antidote”

Zach Brown.
Credit: GoFundMe

NEED TO KNOW

• Mississippi high school football player Zach Brown became “critically ill” and was hospitalized after an accidental exposure to the herbicide paraquat, according to reports and a GoFundMe
• Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries and is highly toxic, with even small amounts potentially fatal, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Brown’s community has rallied to support him, raising funds for his care and a possible lung transplant

A high school football player is in critical condition after being exposed to a toxic herbicide.

Zach Brown, a football player at Lake Cormorant High School in Mississippi, was hospitalized after being exposed to paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide banned in more than 70 countries, according to Magnolia State Live, WMC-TV and a verified GoFundMe.

According to the GoFundMe, the exposure to the herbicide was “accidental.” Though Brown’s family and the fundraiser organizer did not share specifics of how he came into contact with it, they noted in an update that the exposure did not happen “at school or near the school” or “surrounding farmland.”

“Please be mindful about speculation or placing blame on our local farmers. They had absolutely nothing to do with what happened to Zach,” the GoFundMe states.

Dr. Michael Marlin with the Mississippi Poison Control Center told WMC-TV that paraquat is “probably the most toxic herbicide by far,” adding, “It can easily injure fats, proteins, it’s not selective in the injuries it does to the body.” 

Zach Brown
Credit: GoFundMe

Paraquat is one of the most widely used herbicides in the U.S. for the control of weeds and the desiccation of crops, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency notes that anyone who comes into contact with the herbicide should “seek medical assistance immediately.” 

The EPA also warns that ingesting paraquat “can be fatal,” and “dermal or eye contact can have serious lasting effects.” Paraquat “is highly toxic,” and “one small sip can be fatal and there is no antidote,” per the agency.

Brown is “critically ill” at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, according to the GoFundMe. He is on life support and being evaluated for a possible lung transplant.

Lake Cormorant Head Football Coach Nick Nester described the junior offensive lineman as “a first-class kid” who is “very humble, very quiet” and “hardworking.”

“[He] shows up every day to do whatever he needs to, academically and athletically, to be a great representation for Lake Cormorant High School,” he said while speaking to WMC-TV.

Nester and his wife coordinated with the family to launch the GoFundMe to raise funds for Brown’s care, especially after he was relocated from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital to Texas Children’s.

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“Everybody’s kind of rallied around Zach. The school loves him. His teammates love him. His coaches love him. So just trying to be there in every way possible,” Nester told WMC-TV.

He shared that when he last spoke with Brown’s family, they sounded hopeful.

“They said the last couple of days have been looking a lot more positive than it had been in the past,” the coach explained. “Seems like he got through some challenging parts, but I don’t think he’s completely out of the woods yet either.”