Holocaust Survivor Dies After Eating Contaminated Deli Meat
on Aug 30, 2024
A Virginia father and Holocaust survivor recently passed away after consuming deli meat linked to a Boar’s Head recall.
In response to a liverwurst sample testing positive for Listeria by Maryland health officials, Boar’s Head has recalled 71 products, totaling about 7.2 million pounds of deli meats, since July 26. Since health officials originally began investigating on July 19, there have been 57 hospitalizations and nine deaths across 18 states.
Gunter Morgenstein, an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, died from a brain infection caused by Listeria after consuming the contaminated meat. Gunter, who regularly bought Boar’s Head liverwurst, fell ill in early July and was hospitalized with severe symptoms. Sadly, he passed away on July 18.
Garshon Morgenstein, Gunter’s son, shared, “We’re all still in shock. For all of the things you know that he’s seen and been through in his life, to come to that, you know, lunch meat.”
After Gunter’s death, receipts showed that he bought the recalled deli meat on June 30. His family has since hired legal representation.
“It’s really just a senseless accident and tragedy for something that just should not have ever happened,” Gunter’s son said. “He still had many good years left.”
ABC News reports that Gunter Morgenstein was a German-born Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada and then the U.S. as a young man. According to his son, he later became a hairstylist. Over his 70-year career, he styled celebrities like singer Tom Jones. His son also noted that Gunter was known for his humorous and outgoing personality.
We are keeping Gunter Morgenstein’s family in our thoughts and prayers.
Boar’s Head has paused production at the affected facility to investigate and prevent further contamination. The recall initially focused on liverwurst but was expanded to include all products from the facility. The CDC has urged consumers to check their refrigerators for recalled products and to discard them if found.
As reported by USA Today, below is a list of all states affected by the Listeria outbreak:
New York
Maryland
New Jersey
Virginia
Massachusetts
Florida
Missouri
Georgia
South Carolina
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Illinois
Pennsylvania
North Carolina
Indiana
The outbreak has been the largest Listeria outbreak in the U.S. since 2011. There are serious risks posed by Listeria, especially to older adults and those with weakened immune systems. Learn more in the video below.
