H1N1 claims life of student

Nino D. Espinosa, 35 used to go to work every day as chef in a restaurant in Downtown Corpus Christi, he was non traditional student at DMC working full time, attending school full time and raising his two sons, he was a culinary arts major – on April 2, Espinosa lost the battle to the H1N1 flu virus.

Espinosa's death is the 11th H1N1-related in Nueces County since the first one reported May 2009. He came to the Del Mar College to fulfill his dream – open his own restaurant.

"He wanted to do things the right way by returning to school," said Espinosa's sister Jennifer Garza.

This was Espinosa's second semester at DMC. The Flour Bluff resident got up on Monday March 29, to go to work and returned home after not feeling good. According to Garza he went to the doctor that day but was not able to purchase his medication. On Tuesday March 30 Espinosa felt better and returned to his normal activities but on Wednesday he could not breath and checked into the Doctors Regional Medical Center. Garza said by Thursday Espinosa was on life support and died Friday April 2.

"It is important that students know that they need to get vaccinated for this virus," Garza said. "The reason why they don't take the vaccination even though is free is because they think this is never going to happen to them," she said.

Garza said Espinosa did not suffer from any other health conditions and recommends all students to get informed on the virus, she said, "It could happen to anyone."

Free H1N1 vaccines are available at the health district's walk-in flu vaccine clinic at 1702 Horne Road. The clinic is next door to the immunization clinic on the second floor of the Horne Road facility. It is open Mondays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesdays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. No appointment necessary.