Family fights for carbon monoxide safety after personal tragedy: "Tremendous hole in our heart"
Following their own tragedy, one family is hoping to help save others from a hidden danger while traveling.
In 2023, John Heathco and his girlfriend, Abby, were supposed to be enjoying a long weekend by the beach in Mexico, but within hours of getting to their hotel, they felt like something was off.
"They had a couple tacos and some guacamole by the pool, went back to the room and started feeling awful," said Chuck Heathco, father of John.
They thought it was food poisoning, but John Heathco's family said the couple's hotel room had been filled with a silent killer: carbon monoxide.
"After dinner, they went back to the room and never came back out of the room," said Keri Bliss, John Heathco's sister.
Prosecutors said the two had been dead for 11 or 12 hours when they were found in their hotel room. Police said that paramedics received a report that the Americans were unconscious in their room. They were dead by the time paramedics arrived.
The 40-year-old's family described him as intelligent, loving and supportive.
"He was my best friend, too," said Jill Heathco, John Heathco's mother.
Taking action to save lives
Unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning not linked to fires kills about 400 Americans each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Heathco family is speaking for the first time as they launch the John Wesley Heathco Legacy Foundation, an effort to legally require hotels to have working carbon monoxide detectors in each room. Currently, only 14 states mandate it, including: California, Florida, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
"Something has to happen to help prevent this from another family suffering, the loss we have with Johnny and Abby," said Jill Heathco.
The family hopes to empower travelers with safety information.
"Losing Johnny, I pray that no other family has to go through that loss," Jill Heathco said. "We've got a tremendous hole in our heart."
Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig and Rep. Mike Levin of California plan to introduce new legislation to require carbon monoxide detectors in hotels and other short-term rentals.
"You would think the large hotel chains would actually do this preventively," said Craig. "I mean, these are literally people's lives that are being impacted. People are dying."
Lawmakers acknowledge this legislation comes with the cost of installing and maintaining carbon monoxide detectors in each hotel room.
"It's common sense and it's something that I hope we can get passed and get signed into law and save lives," said Levin.
For the Heathco family, a life saved means one less family living with their kind of heartbreak.
"What I think about a lot is I'm the father of an amazing man," said Chuck Heathco. "And to this day, I still find myself wanting to be more like him."
Recent carbon monoxide incidents
A CBS News data review of FEMA's National Fire Incident Reporting System found that over the last 15 years, fire departments nationwide responded to about 360 carbon monoxide incidents at U.S. hotels and motels annually. Data on deaths from the reported incidents is not closely tracked.
In February, three Massachusetts women in their 20s died in their hotel room while on vacation in Belize. The cause was determined to be carbon monoxide poisoning.
In April, officials in Costa Rica determined carbon monoxide was the cause of death for Miller Gardner, the teen son of retired New York Yankees player Brett Gardner.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include:
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Vomiting
Weakness
Chest pain
Confusion
Preventing carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is preventable with detectors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises people to have a separate CO detector on each floor.
"If you are getting a single carbon monoxide detector, place it near the sleeping areas and make certain the alarm is loud enough to wake you up," the EPA notes on its website.
The agency says like smoke detectors, they need to be tested regularly.
Travelers can also purchase a portable carbon monoxide detector for about $25.
In a statement, chief communications officer for the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Ralph Posner, told CBS News: "While carbon monoxide incidents in hotel settings remain rare, AHLA emphasizes the importance of proactive measures to protect guests and employees. Our members are required to comply with all applicable local and state codes with respect to carbon monoxide detection, typically adapted from the International Fire Code. AHLA also encourages our members to follow industry-wide best practices, including regular inspection and maintenance of fuel-burning appliances, proper installation of carbon monoxide detectors in applicable areas, and ongoing staff training on monitoring and emergency response procedures."
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