California X-ray tech who died shortly after COVID-19 shot killed by heart disease, coroner's report says

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An X-ray technician in California whose January death was under investigation as his family suggested a possible link to his second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine died due to heart disease, a coroner’s report concluded. Tim Zook, 60, died of hypertensive and atherosclerotic heart disease with severe cardiomegaly and heart failure, according to his autopsy report. 

The report did not mention a COVID-19 vaccine and said he died at UC Irvine Medical Center. 

At the time of his death, Zook’s widow, Rochelle, told local news outlets that her husband "believed in vaccines" and was "sure he would take that vaccine again, and he’d want the public to take it," but that she noticed his health went into a sharp decline after he received his second dose of the Pfizer shot. 

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"We are not blaming any pharmaceutical company," she had told the Orange County Register, before suggesting that his downturn was some sort of a reaction. 

At the time, the Orange County coroner confirmed to Fox News that it was investigating his death and said that "if it’s determined there may be a correlation to the vaccine, we will immediately notify the OC Health Care Agency." 

However, no such correlation was found. 

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Pfizer and BioNTech had also confirmed to Fox News at the time that they were aware of Zook’s death and were thoroughly reviewing the matter. 

"Our immediate thoughts are with the bereaved family," a statement provided to Fox News said at the time. "We closely monitor all such events and collect relevant information to share with global regulatory authorities. Based on ongoing safety reviews performed by Pfizer, BioNTech and health authorities, BNT162b2 retains a positive benefit-risk profile for the prevention of COVID-19 infections. Serious adverse events, including deaths that are unrelated to the vaccine, are unfortunately likely to occur at a similar rate as they would in the general population."