Lyons, N.Y. - A teen in Wayne County died Wednesday at Strong Memorial Hospital from a confirmed case of Influenza B.
Tyler Finn, 14, of Newark, came down with the flu on January 30, followed by a viral infection he could not fight.
Neighbors of Finn tell 13WHAM News he was in middle school and enjoyed playing music.
"Tyler was a great kid … he helped us plant our gardens, he helped us carve our pumpkins in the fall … we'll always have a special place in our heart, just a very special person," said neighbor Tom Cook.
Finn's family released the following statement Thursday:
"The Finn family would like to take this opportunity to thank the many friends, family and members of our community for your kind thoughts, prayers and acts of kindness during Tyler's illness. Tyler will always have a special place in the hearts of those who knew him."
The Wayne County Public Health Department said even though Finn received a flu vaccine, several complications led to the death.
Health leaders said while the vaccine is not 100 percent effective, it is still the best defense against the seasonal flu.
This is the first flu-related death in Wayne County this year. The last time a child died of the flu in Wayne County was around 2009.
Last flu season, there were around 40 cases of the flu in Wayne County; there have been 640 cases of the flu this season.
In Monroe County, there have been 21 flu-related deaths so far this flu season; none was a child.
