Couple warns of wild mushroom dangers after near-fatal incident
By Jacquelyn Quinones
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SALINAS, California (KSBW) — A Salinas couple is warning others about the dangers of consuming wild mushrooms after a foraging mishap during a hike on November 30 led to severe illness and a life-saving liver transplant for one of them.
Laura Marcelino and her husband, Carlos Diaz, mistook the mushrooms for edible varieties they were familiar with from their hometown in Oaxaca.
“We were out with our kids because being inside all day can get us stressed,” Marcelino said. “As we were going on our walk, we come across these mushrooms.”
Marcelino explained that the mushrooms looked similar to those they would forage in Oaxaca.
“We thought to ourselves, it’s the rainy season, and like back in our town, people pick up the mushrooms. It’s food, but we didn’t think it was poisonous,” she said.
The couple brought the mushrooms home and cooked them. “I cooked it like I would normally, and we didn’t think it was poisonous,” Marcelino said. She and Diaz were the only ones who consumed them.
“We threw up, had diarrhea, and we were like that all day,” Marcelino said. “At first, we thought it was normal, but then it became a lot, and as it started getting later in the day, my husband said let’s call my brother, and he took us to the hospital.”
While being treated at Natividad, the staff informed them they couldn’t eat anything while under observation.
Although Marcelino’s condition improved, Diaz’s health worsened, leading to his transfer to Stanford, where he fell into a coma.
“His body is swelling up, and it could get to his head, and he can die quickly,” Marcelino said. “That is what they were telling me.”
Doctors presented the option of a liver transplant, placing Diaz at the top of the list due to the severity of his condition.
“He’s really sick. It’s life or death is what they told me, and I told them to do what they can to save his life,” Marcelino said.
Diaz eventually received a liver transplant and is now recovering. Speaking from his hospital bed, Diaz expressed gratitude to the donor family.
“I feel for the family that donated the liver. It’s sad losing a family member, but I believe they were good people to be able to donate an organ of their loved one and give it to me,” he said.
Diaz urged the public not to pick up any mushrooms they find.
“If someone sees a mushroom, don’t grab it and don’t use it as food because they are not good for you. They are very poisonous,” he said.
Marcelino called for preventive measures.
“There should be signs in the park so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else,” she said.
Experts warn that even washing, cooking, and preparing these mushrooms does not neutralize the toxins, and consuming them poses a significant danger.
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