Location: Texas
Category: Health
Zach Jones, 15, of Humble, Texas, was taking a nap in his room when a bat woke him up. With no bite marks or scratches, nothing indicating that he was bit, and not knowing that bats could carry rabies, he did not get the shots. About 6 weeks later on May 12, 2006, just after his 16th birthday, Zach died of rabies. His parents, Connie and Larry Jones, watched their only son suffer through this horrific disease. They began the Zach Jones Memorial Fund, to not only celebrate the life of their son, but to also educate the U.S. public about the dangers of rabies in this country.