The first symptom looked like nothing. Then everything collapsed. A healthy man, a spring afternoon, a tick so small no one noticed—until it was far too late. Fevers, confusion, a terrifying diagnosis, and a family forced to watch the unthinkable.

Kevin Boyce’s life unraveled in a matter of days. What began as a stubborn “flu” after a tick bite in April 2024 became a medical free fall: crushing headaches, relentless vomiting, then sudden neurological decline. Doctors finally identified Powassan virus, a rare but vicious tick-borne infection that attacks the brain. Kevin never recovered; the swelling and damage were too severe. He died just weeks later, leaving his family stunned by how fast an ordinary day outdoors turned fatal.

His loved ones now speak publicly, not because it’s easy, but because they can’t bear the thought of another family learning this lesson at a bedside. They urge people to treat every tick as a threat: use repellent, wear long sleeves, perform full-body checks, and seek medical care when symptoms don’t feel right. Kevin’s story can’t be rewritten—but it might rewrite someone else’s fate.