The Mesquite Fire Department is mourning the loss of a brother firefighter who lost his fight for life last night.
Officials say Jody McPherson was at a nursing home in Grand Saline after a long battle with degenerative brain disease known as vCJD, or a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Officials say it's hard to say when McPherson was infected because experts know the infectious agent can remain dormant in the body for many years before making a person feel ill.
McPherson was 47-years-old and worked for Mesquite Fire Department for 17 years. Friends say he was a teacher before that.
McPherson is survived by his wife and three children, a son and two daughters.
It's too soon to know anything about services but Mesquite fire commanders say that will all be announced when arrangements are final.
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