What is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis? Tom Dees illness explored as longtime Fox13 reporter dies aged 57

Fox13 reporter Tom Dees recently passed away due to complications of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) on Thursday, February 9, at the age of 57.

Fox13 also released a statement where they said that Dees was a multimedia journalist for many years and he “crisscrossed North Mississippi by himself, often turning a couple stories a day.” The statement further read:

“Those stories were almost always filled with the real people of the region, who the stories impacted most. It was easy for Tom to find those real people, because he was one himself. In an industry known for big personalities and egos, there was no pretense for Tom Dees. Each day he put on a white dress shirt, khakis and big belt buckle and headed out in his news car to serve his community.”

His funeral arrangements will be handled by Coleman Funeral Home of Olive Branch and further details on the same shall be revealed soon.

---

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis refers to a lung disease that causes problems in breathing. When a human being breathes in, oxygen moves via the small sacs in the lungs and then into the bloodstream. It then reaches the organs.

This leads to the expansion of scar tissue inside the lungs, causing difficulty in breathing. IPF scar tissue reduces oxygen flow from the lungs to the blood and this can severely impact the normal functioning of the body.

The most common symptoms of the disease include a dry and hacking cough, chest pain, leg swelling, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, feeling tired, joint and muscle pain, weight loss, and clubbing.

It is common in people who are over 50 years old, and occurs mostly in men. It can be contracted by those who breathe in wood or metal dust at work or at home, have acid reflux disease, and have a habit of smoking.

A specific cure is not yet available and although it takes a worse turn at one point, people can still live with it for 10 years or more.

There are a few things that can reduce the problem, including drugs like nintedanib and pirfenidone. People can also consult doctors and therapists to manage the symptoms by habituating themselves to exercise, healthy eating, relaxation, stress relief, and more.

---

Who was Tom Dees?

Tom Dees is known for his appearances on Fox13 (Image via tomdeesfox13/Instagram)

Tom Dees was born in Kokomo, Indiana. He later shifted to Hawaii, California, and then to Japan. His mother is a retired teacher and his father was a retired U.S. Air Force Navigator.

He finished his schooling at an elementary school in California, a junior high school in Japan, and a high school in Slidell, Louisiana. He then pursued his graduation from a college based in Mississippi. He was a part of television for a long time, with 2013 marking his 25 years in the industry.

Following his death, a GoFundMe page has also been launched. According to his daughter, Dees was working as a journalist for the last 32 years and delivered news of the Mid-South. The page stated that Tom’s father was also diagnosed with the same disease and he died in April last year.

---

The page mentioned that Tom Dees was taken to the hospital last week and that the doctors are testing to see if he can be a candidate for a lung transplant. The page aims to collect $50,000 and has raised $35,275 as of now.

Tom’s survivors include his wife Cathy and their three children – Amelia, Ally, and Austin.