A man died from a tick bite in Massachusetts. His family wants to prevent it from happening again.
The family of a Massachusetts man who died after a tick bite wants everyone to take ticks seriously and
By Paul Burton
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BOSTON (WBZ) — The family of a Massachusetts man who died after a tick bite wants everyone to take ticks seriously and, if you get bitten by one, go see a doctor.
Erin Boyce remembers the day her brother Kevin Boyce got sick after being bitten by a tick in April 2024.
Kevin Boyce’s story:
“It was so horrible and ticks are so small,” she said.
Days later, he collapsed at home and was rushed to the hospital and put in intensive care at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The doctor told them he was diagnosed with Powassan virus.
The CDC says that virus symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, and seizures. Approximately 10% of people with this severe form of the disease will die, and many survivors may have long-term health problems, according to Yale Medicine.
Kevin Boyce died a few weeks later.
“His brain had blown up so much, from the encephalitis, and he had really bad brain damage,” Erin Boyce said.
Her brother left behind a wife, two sons, and a granddaughter.
“I miss talking to him, and I wish I could ski with him one more time,” she said.
She never wants any other family to experience what they are going through.
“We just want the public to know what to look for and be wary of ticks, especially if you have one on your body,” Boyce said.
Warmer winters means more ticks:
Massachusetts Audubon says warmer climates have led to an increase in the black-legged deer tick population.
“There’s not a large population of ticks that carry Powassan virus. It is a far more serious virus than Lyme,” said Mass Audubon Senior Teacher Naturalist Tia Pinney.
“There are several pathogens now that can be transmitted by ticks, and because the ticks do not get knocked back in the winter, anywhere near as much as they used to, they are of greater significance in terms of when they occur.”
Health officials say that as tick season gets into full swing, people need to be aware when they’re outside or in the woods.
“If you put your pants inside your socks, then they are going to crawl up the outside of your pants. And you’re going to see them,” Pinney said.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health recommends using repellent with DEET when you’re outside. If you think you may have been exposed to any ticks, shower as soon as you get home.
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