'His Brain Had Blown Up': Tick Bite Turns Deadly for Massachusetts Man

A Massachusetts family is speaking out after a tick bite led to a fatal infection that devastated their lives. Kevin Boyce, 62, was an active man enjoying the spring season when a tiny insect delivered a deadly blow. Weeks after being bitten by a tick in April 2024, Boyce collapsed at home, never to recover. The culprit? A rare but increasingly reported illness — Powassan virus.

A Sudden Decline

Boyce began experiencing what seemed like a typical illness: headaches, vomiting, and general flu-like symptoms. But within days, his condition deteriorated rapidly. He was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and admitted to the ICU, where doctors diagnosed him with Powassan virus, a tick-borne illness that attacks the brain and spinal cord.

"It was so horrible and ticks are so small," said his sister, Erin Boyce, according to CBS News Boston.

According to Erin, Kevin's brain swelled due to encephalitis — a known complication of Powassan virus. "His brain had blown up so much, from the encephalitis, and he had really bad brain damage," she told CBS News.

Kevin died a few weeks after his hospitalization, leaving behind a wife, two sons, and a granddaughter. His sister described the grief of losing him, saying, "I miss talking to him, and I wish I could ski with him one more time," according to CBS News Boston.

What Is Powassan Virus?

Powassan virus (POWV) is rare but extremely dangerous. It can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis or myelitis). According to Yale Medicine, about 10 percent of severe cases result in death, and survivors may suffer long-term neurological issues.

Unlike Lyme disease, which typically takes hours to transmit, Powassan virus can be passed from tick to human in as little as 15 minutes after attachment, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Symptoms of the virus may begin between one week and one month after the bite and include fever, headache, confusion, weakness, vomiting, difficulty speaking, and seizures.

A Growing Threat

Massachusetts saw 12 cases of Powassan virus in 2024 out of 54 nationwide — a relatively small number, but an increase that alarms health professionals. Warmer winters and environmental shifts have expanded tick habitats, leading to more human exposure. "There's not a large population of ticks that carry Powassan virus. It is a far more serious virus than Lyme," said Mass Audubon senior teacher naturalist Tia Pinney, according to CBS News Boston.

Pinney noted that because winters are no longer reliably cold, ticks aren't being wiped out as they once were. "There are several pathogens now that can be transmitted by ticks, and because the ticks do not get knocked back in the winter, anywhere near as much as they used to, they are of greater significance," she added, as reported by CBS News Boston.

Prevention Is the Best Medicine

There is currently no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for Powassan virus. That's why tick bite prevention is so crucial. According to the National Institutes of Health and the CDC, here’s how you can protect yourself:

• Wear long sleeves and pants, and tuck pants into socks.
• Use tick repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or permethrin.
• Stick to the center of trails when hiking.
• Wear light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily.
• Check your body, clothing, children, and pets for ticks after being outdoors.
• Shower as soon as you return indoors and wash clothing at high heat.

If a tick is found, use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it as soon as possible.

Turning Tragedy Into Advocacy

Though nothing can undo Kevin's tragic death, his family hopes his story will save others. The Boyces are now advocates for tick awareness, driven by their personal heartbreak. "We just want the public to know what to look for and be wary of ticks, especially if you have one on your body," Erin told CBS News Boston.

As tick season ramps up and outdoor activities increase, Kevin's story serves as a somber but vital warning: even something as small as a tick can have enormous consequences.

References: Man Died from Tick-Borne Virus After His 'Brain Had Blown Up'. Now His Family Is Warning Others | A man died from a tick bite in Massachusetts. His family wants to prevent it from happening again.