Patients and families tied to potential mystery brain disease speak out about neurologist Dr. Marrero
I recently travelled to my hometown of Moncton, N.B., to report on a potentially mysterious brain disease that has people talking and very concerned.
I spent some time with Bonnie Vautour. Her mom Sylvia died this spring and had been part of a cluster of 48 diagnosed with an unknown neurological syndrome. Vautour remembered her mom as being a real spitfire, telling me, “She was so full of life, full of laughter and loved her grandkids. She played baseball almost her entire life and did a lot of stock car racing.”
Vautour’s mom had a rapid decline, initially showing signs of confusion and memory loss. In just months, she was referred to neurologist Dr. Alier Marrero, who included her in the “cluster.” I asked Vautour about Dr. Marrero and she said: “You couldn't ask for better bedside manners. Very, very friendly. Just super. You couldn't ask for a better neurologist.”
Over the course of our investigation, we spoke to many other patients and families about their experience with Dr. Marrero.
Carol Clark, who is 77 and living with the unknown syndrome, said “as far as I’m concerned, he's really my neurologist and will always be my neurologist.”
Steve Ellis, whose 64-year-old father Roger is a patient of Dr. Marrero. He says, “He recognized the trends, and he's the one that did the right thing.”
Staci whose stepdaughter, Gabrielle Cormier, is one of the youngest patients said, “It's really important that we speak for her and we let people know how appreciative she is of Dr. Marrero and his team.”
While patients and their families spoke highly of Dr. Marrero, the government has distanced themselves. Dr. Marrero was not included in briefings by the province on June 3 and again on Oct. 27.
This weeks’ briefing came as neuropathology reports tied to those who died in the cluster were made public.
W5 spoke exclusively to the neuropathologist who wrote those reports, Dr. Gerard Jansen. He told me “our work is to give a diagnosis with as much certainty as we can. And to also say what is not there if we don't find something .”
Dr. Jansen found that all of those he investigated died of normal brain diseases.
He wanted to express this to the families: “I'm not saying that people do not suffer or there is no disease. Absolutely not. These people, all of these eight people, had a disease. It is just that misclassifying them as having a new mysterious disease was not right.”
We asked Dr. Marrero if he had seen the reports and he said, “I have seen some results and would not like to comment on them. They were reviewing their autopsies; so I don't know exactly what is happening.”
For Vautour, she’s just hoping for some closure, and told us finally she expects to receive it this week from Dr. Marrero.
“Mum’s already passed, it’s been over five and a half months and we're just getting word of the autopsy results. To me, it was way too long. Way, way, way, way too long.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
Local Spotlight
UBC football star turning heads in lead up to NFL draft
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.
Cat found at Pearson airport 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
Molly on a mission: N.S. student collecting books about women in sport for school library
Molly Knight, a grade four student in Nova Scotia, noticed her school library did not have many books on female athletes, so she started her own book drive in hopes of changing that.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
Marmot in the city: New resident of North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale a 'rock star rodent'
When Les Robertson was walking home from the gym in North Vancouver's Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood three weeks ago, he did a double take. Standing near a burrow it had dug in a vacant lot near East 1st Street and St. Georges Avenue was a yellow-bellied marmot.
Relocated seal returns to Greater Victoria after 'astonishing' 204-kilometre trek
A moulting seal who was relocated after drawing daily crowds of onlookers in Greater Victoria has made a surprise return, after what officials described as an 'astonishing' six-day journey.
Ottawa barber shop steps away from Parliament Hill marks 100 years in business
Just steps from Parliament Hill is a barber shop that for the last 100 years has catered to everyone from prime ministers to tourists.
'It was a special game': Edmonton pinball player celebrates high score and shout out from game designer
A high score on a Foo Fighters pinball machine has Edmonton player Dave Formenti on a high.
'How much time do we have?': 'Contamination' in Prairie groundwater identified
A compound used to treat sour gas that's been linked to fertility issues in cattle has been found throughout groundwater in the Prairies, according to a new study.