NEWDALE — After her tragic death, the family of this local “girl-daddy” says they will always remember her fierce love and mischievous, prank-loving personality.
Jon McCoy died Monday at the age of 38 from complications due to a massive blood clot.
EastIdahoNews.com first covered Jon’s story in August, when he was hospitalized after contracting flesh-eating bacteria in his leg.
RELATED | Local father in intensive care after contracting flesh-eating bacteria in his leg
“He was at EIRMC (Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center) and he was making great progress, to the point where he was able to be released and go home,” says Jon’s sister-in-law, Jessica Lang. “Everything with his leg was positive.”
Jon visited EIRMC every week for wound care and was also seen regularly by a home health nurse to make sure his infected leg was improving – and it was.
But on Monday, things got worse.
“It wasn’t until last weekend that he experienced difficulty breathing, which people thought was a sign of asthma,” Lang says.
After his nurse recommended he go to EIRMC due to his wheezing and shortness of breath, Jon was admitted to the hospital, where doctors found a large blood clot in the center of his lungs.
He then underwent emergency surgery for hours to break up and remove the blood clot.
“They couldn’t push him all the way in because he already had so much pressure on his chest,” Lang says. “So he was half awake during his procedure.”
During surgery, Lang said he was told doctors heard Jon say, “I can’t breathe” before losing his pulse.
“They called a code at the hospital, and a group of doctors and nurses rushed to the scene and immediately started CPR,” says Lang.
After 30 minutes of trying to revive Jon, doctors asked his wife, Monica McCoy, if she wanted to see him in case he died.
“She said there were probably 30 to 40 people in that room, all taking turns performing CPR on Jon,” Lang says. “They gave everything to save him.”
Minutes later, Jon died from the blood clot.
Flamm Funeral Home Obituary | Jon McCoy
According to Lang, Jon was unable to take blood thinners due to other medical issues he was facing, which could have caused the blood clot.
“It still doesn’t feel real,” Lang says. “It happened so quickly.”
Monica and her daughters, ages 7 and 11, are going through the grieving process as best they can, Lang said, over the loss of a husband and father.
According to Lang, one thing the family has talked about is Jon’s love of a good prank.
“Jon used to wave at his daughter whenever she was being mischievous,” says Lang. “She said, ‘Who’s going to give me a high five now?’ »
Lang says Jon will be remembered as a quiet man with a great sense of humor, always willing to help someone in need.
“He had such a big heart,” Lang said. “He loved cooking; he was a great cook. It was one of his passions. Same with cars, he loved cars and was very knowledgeable about cars… he was one of the nicest, gentlest, most caring people you could ever talk to.”
Jon was the quintessential father to girls, says Lang, who hopes his daughters grow up remembering the unconditional love he had for them.
“He was definitely destined to be a girl dad. He was very soft and instantly they put him around their fingers,” says Lang. “He cared so much about his daughters and loved them unconditionally.”
Lang says the family would like to thank EIRMC, Enhabit Home Health and the Newdale community for all the love and support given to them throughout Jon’s illness and during his grieving process.
“The Newdale community has been really good about being there for Monica and the girls,” says Lang. “It’s such a small community, and it’s really like a family.”
A GoFundMe originally intended to raise money for hospital bills is still active and is now raising money for funeral costs and the family’s future. You can also donate to Monica’s Venmo account, @MonicaMcCoy-26.
Click here to donate to GoFundMe.
“(Jon) was loved by so many people. And he loved fiercely,” Lang says. “He was just an all-around great guy.”
Our lawyers tell us we need to include this disclaimer in articles involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not guarantee that money deposited into the account will be used for the benefit of the individuals named as beneficiaries.
%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A&subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20EastIdahoNews” class=”fa-stack jDialog”>
Gn Health
