A 16-year-old star athlete from Colorado died the day after his 16th birthday after complaining of fever and muscle aches -- common flu symptoms. Turns out, the pitcher and quarterback contracted a rare form of plague, health officials confirmed to People.
Taylor Gaes, who was a student at Poudre High School in Larimer County, died from a septicemic plague, Katie O'Donnell, county health department spokesperson confirms to People. It is a fatal disease which causes bacterial infection to the bloodstream. Gaes was believed to have contracted the plague four days before his death.
Just two days after manifesting flu-like symptoms, Gaes condition worsened quickly forcing him to tap out of a Colorado Rockies game. He showed slight improvement after home remedies but began to cough up blood the next day. That was when the family decided to rush him to the hospital 20 miles away. Unfortunately, the teenager died on the way, according to a Washington Post report.
"We often talk about Taylor's potential as an athlete, but he was much more than that," Poudre varsity baseball coach Russell Haigh told the Denver Post. "He was a good friend to all of our players. He was a special young man."
Standing 6-foot-4 and at 210 pounds, the future was bright for the teenager with possibilities of a succesful baseball career. His teammates, friends, and family remain troubled with the sudden demise of the young star athlete who was at the peak of his health.
O'Donnell told Los Angeles Times that Taylor did not manifest swollen lymph nodes which is the characteristic marker of the illness; it would have alerted everyone sooner.
O'Donnell told the Times that the plague is "very rare, which makes it hard to diagnose." There have only been three people in the same county who contracted the plague in the past 30 years.
"There is a small chance that others might have been bitten by infected fleas, so anyone who was on the family's land in the last seven days should seek medical attention immediately if a fever occurs," Larimer health officials said in a statement.
The Gaes family is hoping to raise money as a memorial fund for Taylor to help support young baseball athletes who have financial barriers from playing the sport.
"Taylor Gaes loved the game of baseball," the fund states. "It was a passion that lived in every part of his life and person. The belief that any kid should have the opportunity to play the game of baseball was a passion of his. He never understood why money should play a factor in a young person's ability to experience the joys of the game."
