Funeral Held For 12-Year-Old Amoeba Attack Victim
LABELLE (CBSMiami/AP) — The LaBelle 12-year-old infected by a rare and deadly brain eating amoeba was laid to rest this weekend.
Nearly 1,000 people gathered for the funeral Saturday for Zachary Reyna.
The public visitation and service was held at the LaBelle Middle School Gym. The burial service was held at the nearby cemetery.
The family announced the funeral services on a Facebook posting.
Hundreds of family members, friends and even strangers attended the services. A slide show at the service displayed pictures of Reyna, some in his baseball uniform.
Reyna became infected Aug. 3 while knee boarding with friends. Doctors told the family the boy had extensive brain damage.
He was treated at Miami Children's Hospital where doctors used medication to kill the amoeba, but said the damage to Reyna's brain was too severe for him to surive.
The family decided earlier to donate his organs for others who were "waiting on a miracle."
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