“His brain had blown up so much, from the encephalitis, and he had really bad brain damage,” she told CBS News. “It was horrifying, but we knew what Kevin would want, so you know, we just had to let him go.”

Kevin died a few weeks after arriving at the hospital, leaving behind a wife, two sons and a granddaughter. Erin said that she and her family are now hoping that sharing Kevin’s story will encourage others to be cautious.

“We just want the public to know what to look for and be wary of ticks, especially if you have one on your body,” she said.

In 2024, 54 cases of Powassan virus disease were reported in the United States, with 12 cases reported in Massachusetts.According to the CDC, there are no vaccines