Bacterial infection from raw oysters kills Florida man

Dania Beach, Florida – A man lost his life after he caught a bacterial infection from eating raw oysters.

Roger “Rocky” Pinckney was a boxer who leaves behind two children, Jaelynn and Austin Pinckney, after his dining experience at a Dania Beach restaurant took a turn for the worse.

His daughter, Jaelynn, shared her thoughts on her father, who passed away on July 31. “He was an amazing dad,” Jaelynn said. “He was super supportive, loving. He always made sure to tell me that he loved me.”

To celebrate Jaelynn’s birthday, Roger and his daughter decided to eat at the Rustic Inn.

According to a report made by Florida Health Department, he ordered the shrimp and, since Roger loved raw oysters, he ordered fresh Virginia blue point oysters.

The father got sick the following day; he went to the hospital on his 44th birthday, but he would die there moments later. “I called him for his birthday,” Jaelynn said. “He said he was in excruciating pain and he couldn’t walk.”

The Florida Health Department visited the Rustic Inn as part of their investigation and reported that he was infected with Vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria that can be found in raw oysters. “It can spread to the bloodstream, so it can cause a serious infection that is potentially very deadly,” said Gastroenterologist Dr. Leyla Maric of Cleveland Clinic Weston. “Thirty percent of patients can present in shock and have very low blood pressure within those first 12 hours of possible admission.”

According to the manager of the seafood restaurant, he served hundreds of customers the day the father and daughter visited the establishment; Roger was the only one to fall ill. “I love oysters, but I’ll stop eating them,” said Will Rye, a fellow customer.

Roger’s children are now grieving the loss of their father. “Just taking it one step at a time, healing,” Jaelynn said. “I talk to him about it, in a weird way. You know, if I’m feeling down, I just talk, hoping he can hear me.”