Skip directly to search Skip directly to A to Z list Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options
CDC Home
PanFlu Storybook-- Personal recollections from survivors, families, and friends
next page previous page
In Memorial
I Survived
An Immigrant's Tale
In Memorial
War Stories
Plantings
Finding A Cure
1957 Flu Pandemic

George M. Helmkamp

Storyteller: Jim Helmkamp

Location: Washington

My father, George M. Helmkamp was born on December 4, 1918 in Spokane Washington. Two weeks later his mother died from the flu. As a result of her death, my grief–stricken grandfather determined that he could not raise my Dad and his older sister. The children were sent to live with relatives in Illinois where they were raised separately, never to effectively live as brother and sister in the same household.

Subsequently, as my Dad was raising his four children, we never got to know our grandfather. I saw him only twice before he died in 1967.

Boy Waving Goodbye

Return to the Top return to the top

Contact Us:
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    1600 Clifton Rd
    Atlanta, GA 30333
  • 800-CDC-INFO
    (800-232-4636)
    TTY: (888) 232-6348
  • cdcinfo@cdc.gov
  • Page last reviewed: September 15, 2009
  • Page last updated: September 15, 2009
  • Content source: Office of the Associate Director for Communication
  • Notice: Linking to a non-federal site does not constitute an endorsement by HHS, CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the site.
USA.gov: The U.S. Government's Official Web PortalDepartment of Health and Human Services
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention   1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, GA 30333, USA
800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) TTY: (888) 232-6348 - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
A-Z Index
  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z
  27. #