On July 19, 2023, the dubious @DiedSuddenly_ Twitter account appeared to imply in a tweet that 51-year-old boxer Antwun Echols had died from the effects of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine:
The two words in the account’s name, “died suddenly,” references a false rumor that claims such vaccines increase the risk of death.
The tweet from @DiedSuddenly_ read, “Died from an ‘unexpected illness,'” and showed a link and screenshot for an article from the British tabloid The Mirror:
Died from an “unexpected illness”https://t.co/4tO0gJA10W pic.twitter.com/1RVCDjrNPy
— DiedSuddenly (@DiedSuddenly_) July 19, 2023
However, the truth of the matter was that Echols had died on July 2 due to complications from diabetes, according to our interview with his daughter, Antwunette Echols, as well as reporting from The Associated Press:
Antwun Echols, a boxer who twice lost to Bernard Hopkins in title fights, has died in Iowa. He was 51.
Echols, known as “Kid Dynamite” because of his powerful punch, died Sunday in Davenport of complications from diabetes, according to his daughter, Antwunette Echols.
On Messenger, Antwunette told Snopes that the rumor was “false” and said that her father “did not pass away due to a COVID vaccine.”
She then indicated she had no recollection of Echols ever even receiving a COVID-19 vaccination. “In fact, I don’t believe he ever had taken one,” she said. “He passed away due to complications of Diabetes 1. The family would like for these false allegations to be stopped and taken down.”
Note: Readers can help to report this misleading tweet by tapping on the three dots next to the tweet and making the following selections: “Report Tweet,” “Start report,” “Everyone on Twitter,” scroll down to select “Shown misleading info,” then “Health,” “Yes, continue,” “Submit,” and “Done.”
In the past, the @DiedSuddenly_ account had become known for seizing on the deaths of many people at a time when their families and friends were still grieving their loss.
For example, in a previous tweet from July 14, @DiedSuddenly_ appeared to imply that a 31-year-old mother named Callie Driskill had died from a COVID-19 vaccine that she received in 2021. However, the truth was that she died from injuries following an ATV accident, as confirmed in our reporting that cited two friends as well as her husband, Neil, who told us, “Thank you for letting people know the truth.”
Callie knew better but took the risk. So sad.
Forced vaccinations by our governments are evil. For work, travel and participation in society – many felt they had no choice. 😡 pic.twitter.com/xbXmg43CII
— DiedSuddenly (@DiedSuddenly_) July 14, 2023
In another example from January, @DiedSuddenly_ made false claims about a young woman named Claire Bridges supposedly having experienced medical complications because of a COVID-19 vaccine. As we reported following our interview with Bridges, this was not true.
TRAGIC: Claire Bridges was a 21 year old model when she received the mRNA vaccine 💉💉
Clair ended up having legs amputated due to blood clots, and now suffers from myocarditis & kidney failure. #diedsuddenly pic.twitter.com/alQ8Cjqcbv
— DiedSuddenly (@DiedSuddenly_) January 17, 2023
At the time that we reported about Bridges’ story, she told Snopes that these sorts of misleading accounts “completely ignored the fact that I am a human” and “incorrectly and harmfully [told] my story.”
Jordan Liles
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