In 1996, 3-year-old Chase had a foodborne illness caused by E. coli O157:H7. There were some pretty harrowing moments but, thankfully, he recovered and went on with his life. Since that time his parents, Scott and Richelle, have been not only great supporters of STOP, but also willing participants in many of our programs and advocacy opportunities.
In 2020, we caught up with Chase to find out what he was up to …
Do you remember your foodborne illness?
My memories of having E. coli are some of the earliest memories of my life. I was only three at the time, but I vividly remember my family was going on a trip to a hot air balloon rally in Albany, Oregon. On the trip I started getting really sick. I had terrible headaches and was vomiting. I remember my family leaving the event to take me to the hospital. I was eventually transferred to another hospital. I have loved aviation since childhood and I remember being disappointed that they decided I could be transferred to the other hospital via ambulance rather than helicopter. I also remember being on dialysis and the long recovery to being healthy. I was in the hospital for around 3 months but had to continue going on regular check ups for years afterwards. I generally remember this time as being traumatic and uncertain.
Are there certain foods you don’t like or avoid because of your experience?
I avoid anything unpasteurized and under cooked meats.
Tell us about your life today.
I graduated from the University of Portland with a B.B.A. In Operations and Technology Management. I currently work at Philips as a Buyer/Planner. I live just north of Seattle, in Everett with my wife, Ruby and our dog, Max.
In my free time I enjoy hiking, fishing, exploring the local food scene and, of course, flying hot air balloons. In fact, I am a licensed hot air balloon pilot. I got into this sport through my dad and uncle, who are also pilots. Much of my childhood was spent around hot air balloons and it’s a family tradition I am proud to keep going.
As the voice of people affected by foodborne illness, we collaborate with partners in academia, the food industry, and government to prevent foodborne illness. We advocate for effective food safety policy and facilitate culture change to increase food safety.
Stop Foodborne Illness is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows.
