Family of latest West Nile virus victim speaks to ABC-7

The West Nile virus continues to grip the state and our city.

Early this week, the deadly virus took the lives of two El Pasoans, an elderly man and a young man.

We’ve seen the stories in our newscasts. West Nile virustaking the lives of our borderland residents, five so far. For the most part, the victims are elderly.

ABC-7 talked with a father whose adult son’s life was cut short following a mosquito bite.

“I looked at him, and he didn’t look right at all,” said Arturo Hernandez Sr.

He tellsABC-7his son, Arturo HernandezJr., was complaining about not feeling well after a birthday party he’d had for his daughter.

“Stomach pains, he was vomiting, he had diarrhea, kinda like flu symptoms” Hernandez Sr. said.

Hernandez Jr. was taken to a local hospital last week and was soon released. Doctors told Hernandez Jr. it was a possible stomach virus.

Hernandez Jr. didn’t feel any better the next day.

“The back of his head hurting, he started complaining about that,” said Hernandez Sr.

He went back to another hospital and was sent home again.

Hernandez Sr. tells ABC-7, “Thursday morning, he told his wife he couldn’t breath anymore.”

They called 911, and Hernandez Jr. was taken toa hospital in serious condition.

“They started working on him right away,” said Hernandez Sr.

He tells ABC-7 they induced a coma because of everything that was going on inside his son’s body.

At this point, Hernandez Sr. tells ABC-7,no one told him what was wrong with his son.

“The only reason we found out that it was West Nile was because the Health Department called his wife,” said Hernandez Sr.

Once Hernandez Jr. was taken out of the coma, his wife was told he had a 90 percentchance of recovery.

Hospital staff recommended Hernandez Jr. be taken to a rehab center in Lubbock. When he was taken, the situation only worsened.

“He developed a staph infection,” said Hernandez Sr.

Hernandez Jr.’s body eventually couldn’t take it.

“His heart stoppedthree times,” Hernandez Sr. said.

Doctors told Hernandez’s family if they resuscitated him again, his body wouldn’t be able to take the jolt.

Hernandez Jr. died later that day.

Now, Hernandez Sr. watches over his grandson with the hopes he will never forget his father.

“I promised him thatI would look after him, and as soon as he starts getting older and starts understanding more, thatI would be the one to let him know about his father and what a great heart his father had,” he said.

Hernandez Jr.leaves behind a wife and three kids.