A father-of-three and Holocaust survivor has died from listeria after eating a deli sausage that has caused a nationwide outbreak.
Günter ‘Garshon’ Morgenstein, 88, hid under floorboards to escape the Nazis during the Second World War before fleeing to America with his brother.
He settled in a small town in Virginia, where he was a regular shopper for Boar’s Head liverwurst — because it reminded him of food in his native Germany.
But in July this year, and days after eating one of their sausages, he became fatigued and started to have trouble breathing — and was rushed to the hospital.
Doctors said he was infected with listeria, and had developed meningitis as a result, causing deadly brain inflammation.
Gunter ‘Garshon’ Morgenstein, a father-of-three from Newport, Virginia, is pictured above with his wife Peggy. He died after suffering from a listeria infection after eating Boar’s Head deli meats
Mr Morgenstein pictured in a family photo. He survived the Holocaust, but later died from an infection caused by deli meats
He died on July 18 this year, just ten days after he was admitted.
Revealing his father’s story, his son Garshon told DailyMail.com: ‘I think that is one of the biggest things, you know, that my mom and me are in most shock over — that he survived the Holocaust only to die from deli meats years later.
‘It is kind of ridiculous when you think about it. That’s part of the irony of the whole thing.’
Boar’s Head has now recalled about 7.2million pounds of deli meats, after the CDC linked cases of listeria to its liverwurst products.
A total of 43 people have been hospitalized since the outbreak began across 13 states, while three have died.
It’s not clear how the meat sold by the grocery mainstay became contaminated, but listeria bacteria can persist on surfaces and get into slicing tools and countertops that are not deep-cleaned regularly — raising the risk of contamination and an outbreak.
Boar’s Head said in a statement responding to Mr Morgenstein’s case: ‘We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families.
‘No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness.’
Friends and family described Mr Morgenstein as a friendly and outgoing individual, and a pillar of his community.
He worked as a hair stylist — rising through the ranks to join exclusive salon service Paul Mitchell, where he styled the hair of stars including Engelbert Humperdinck, Tom Jones and Muhammad Ali.
He kept at the job for more than 50 years, and was still a hairdresser when the sickness struck — saying he loved the artistry of the job and his customers.
His son added to USA TODAY: ‘My dad was a completely extroverted person. He loved to go to, like, 7-Eleven and we would be sitting in the car and I would say, “See that guy standing outside, I bet you $5 you won’t talk to that guy up there”, and he was like, “Of course I will”.
Mr Morgenstein fled to the US via East Germany and Canada after the Second World War
He had eaten a Boar’s Head liverwurst in the day’s before falling ill. This meat is now included in the multi-state recall for listeria contaminated products
‘So he would go out there and talk to the guy for a couple of minutes. That was just a silly thing that was so mind-blowing for me because he could talk to anybody.’
Boar’s Head is now being sued by the family — led by attorney Anthony Coveny of Ron Simon and Associates — who are seeking damages for the loss of their father.
It is just one of several legal actions facing the company, which also include the case of Missouri woman Sue Fleming, also 88, who fell ‘deathly ill’ after consuming their liverwurst.
She is now recovering from her infection, but said it left her too frail to walk for weeks and suffering from neurological issues.
It has also put a strain on her marriage. She is seeking more than $25,000 in damages.
Others have also filed lawsuits against Boar’s Head including Sue Fleming, 88, from Missouri, who fell ‘deathly ill’ after eating the products
In another case, pregnant woman Ashley Solberg from Minnesota is seeking damages after saying the illness the meats caused led her to nearly lose her child.
She was 36 weeks pregnant when she fell ill with listeria, and is after a payment well in excess of $75,000.
About 1,600 people are infected with listeria every year — normally from foods — and 260 die from the infections, according to the CDC.
For most people, food poisoning by listeria is an inconvenience that resolves after a few days of nausea and diarrhea.
But for older adults, pregnant women, and those with underlying conditions — who have weaker immune systems — they are more likely to suffer a severe illness.
Doctors say in serious cases the bacteria can leave the gut and enter the blood-stream, potentially causing meningitis or sepsis — which can be life-threatening.
Boar’s Head has urged customers to throw away the recalled products or return them to the store for a full refund.
Mr Morgenstein is pictured above in a family photo. Doctors said that he suffered severe and permanent brain damage during his illness
He was also a famous hair stylist, cutting the hair of clients including Engelbert Humperdinck
Doctors initially tried to discharge Mr Morgenstein after two days in hospital, but his 80-year-old wife Peggy refused the request — saying something still seemed ‘off’.
He then gradually went downhill and was transferred to the ICU, where he became so weak he could only communicate via shakes and nods of the head.
Doctors gave him antibiotics, but when he didn’t improve after a few days they warned he was unlikely to get better.
Even if he did, they said he would likely struggle with disability and not be the same man that his family remembered.
‘We didn’t want to see him suffer anymore,’ said his son. ‘Doctors said that even if he did survive there was a more than 90 percent chance that he would have some type of brain damage.’
Mr Morgenstein was born in Cottbus, Germany — about 100km south of Berlin — in 1936 to a Jewish family.
He escaped the Nazis by hiding, and then fled to America in 1954 via East Berlin — traveling to meet his brother in Canada, who had left a few years earlier.
He had been working in hair salons in Germany since age 13 years, which employed him after he lied about his age, and then moved to Newport, Virginia, where he built a career in hair styling or cosmetology.
In the hospital, he was quickly transferred to the ICU where doctors attempted unsuccessfully to treat his illness with antibiotics.
After his death, the family linked his illness to the liverwurst by matching the product on his store receipt to that which was included in the recall.
His son is not sure how much the family is seeking in damages from Boar’s Head, saying that is not the purpose behind the case.
‘This is for making other people aware of this, that’s really one of my goals — it is to just bring awareness to the whole situation,’ he said.
‘I know it is something my dad would want, to get the message out there and to make everyone aware of listeria.’
Mr Morgenstein leaves behind his wife Peggy, three children and his grandchildren.
