KINGWOOD, Texas - The Kingwood community is mourning the loss of yet another victim of Hurricane Harvey.
Autopsy results confirm the life of Nancy Reed, 77, as taken by necrotizing faciitis, more commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria.
To say Nancy Reed loved her community would be an understatement. Those who knew her say she was an avid donor and longtime volunteer, both with her church and several non-profit organizations.
She was heavily involved in one non-profit in particular, Village Learning and Achievement Center, an educational center for adults and children with disabilities.
They say Reed has been involved with the village for 11 years and attends every fundraising event they sponsor. They say losing her has been and will continue to be very difficult.
“God has gained an amazing angel. That’s what I would say, and we’re going to miss her," said administrative specialist, Tina Tilea.
“It was difficult to learn because we saw her a lot, very often, at all of our events, and like I said, she would stop by a lot and drop off things and come visit," said development manager Erica Badamo.
The center says they hope to dedicate a bench in honor of Nancy Reed.
According to the Harris County Institute for Forensic Science, Reed came in contact with the bacteria in the Harvey floodwaters.
The CDC says the infection is rare, but if contracted, it can be deadly in a very short amount of time. They say if you think you have any symptoms of necrotizing faciitis, you should seek medical help immediately.
But the symptoms can sometimes be confusing, and are similar to those of a pulled muscle. But the skin may be warm with red or purplish areas of swelling that spread rapidly.
Later symptoms can include fever, chills, fatigue and vomiting.
The CDC says since 2010, approximately 700 to 1,100 cases occur each year in the United States.