There are new details about South Carolina's first Swine Flu related death. The young victim was from Batesburg-Leesville. And his name is John McCormick. The 12-year-old went to a hospital on Sunday the 23rd, and died early Monday morning, the 24th of Swine Flu complications. All confirmed by the boy's pastor.
"If you loved him and smiled at him he would smile back," said Reverend Greg Williams.
A smile Reverend Williams says he'll miss seeing on Sunday's. Last Monday morning Williams received a phone call from John McCormick's parents, telling him the pre-teen had died. Williams says McCormick had several medical problems and was often in and out of the hospital. The pastor thinks that's where McCormick may have contracted the Swine Flu.
"He had battled pneumonia not too long ago," said Williams. "He just had some other physical problems as well."
"It is a younger population that's being affected by this flu," said Dr. Stephen Shelton.
Shelton is an emergency room doctor at Palmetto Health Richland. He knows first-hand how serious the flu is.
"This is a virus that you have not been exposed to," said Dr. Shelton. "You do not have any natural immunity to this. There are projections that half of Americans will develop Swine Flu."
A virus that Reverend Williams now knows first-hand, can be deadly.
"John had a good heart, he was innocent," said Dr. Shelton. "And I know the moment that he left this world he was in the peace of the Lord."
And Williams says McCormick now shines a light to everyone who knew him.
McCormick's family held funeral services last Thursday. And he's buried at his family church in Batesburg-Leesville.
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