Baker County couple die days apart from flu-like symptoms

MACCLENNY, Fla. — A family is urging people to get a flu shot after their grandparents died just days apart from flu-like symptoms.

“The flu is not playing this year, it’s taking people’s lives,” Kathleen Estell said.

“She’s no longer a phone call away,” says Missty Estell who says her grandmother and step-grandfather, 60-year-old Kathryn Barber and 63-year-old Charles Thornton, of Macclenny, died after having flu symptoms.

Estell says her grandfather was getting ready to go to the hospital on Jan. 19.

“They were supposed to go to the doctor that day, but he didn’t make it to the doctor,” she says. Estell says her grandmother went to the hospital that same day, and died 11 days later.

“Everything was good until she got the flu, the flu is what took her,” she says.

Estell says the couple of 36 years didn’t get a flu vaccine.

“Don’t wait, don’t wait, don’t hesitate,” says Kathleen Estell.

It’s a pain this heartbroken family doesn’t want others to experience. Now they’re warning others to go to the doctor right away if they have flu symptoms.

“I feel they waited too long to go to the hospital. I feel if they would’ve went sooner, we could’ve caught it sooner,” Estell says.

If you would like to help this family with burial costs, visit the family's Gofundme page.

Cox Media Group