A junior offensive lineman at Lake Cormorant High School in Mississippi has been hospitalized since the start of football season after accidental exposure to paraquat, a highly toxic herbicide that is banned in more than 70 countries but remains legal for restricted agricultural use in the United States. Zach Brown has been transferred from Le Bonheur to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where he is being evaluated for a lung transplant. His family says recent days have been more positive.
Paraquat works differently than most chemicals people encounter. Doctors say it damages the kidneys and liver first, then accumulates in the lungs weeks after exposure, which is why symptoms can worsen long after the initial contact. There are roughly 100 paraquat exposure cases nationwide each year, and the mortality rate is high. Doctor Michael Marlin of the Mississippi Poison Control Center calls it “probably the most toxic herbicide by far.”
Brown’s coach describes him as a first-class kid, humble, quiet, and hardworking. The coach’s wife launched a GoFundMe to help the family manage the costs of treatment and travel to Houston. If you’d like to support the family, the fundraiser is available online. Have you ever seen a community rally around a local athlete like this? Share your thoughts in the comments.
