A Peachtree City resident enrolled at Middle Georgia College has died from what doctors have said were complications from the flu.

Michael Beall, 20, didn't have any other health problems, said his mother, Suzy Beall of Peachtree City.

"We tested everything," she said, explaining the work-up doctors put her son through in an effort to save his life.

Mike Beall died at Emory University Hospital Tuesday, Feb. 22, the morning after he was flown there from Taylor Regional Hospital, where he was first taken for treatment, near the MGC campus in Cochran, Suzy Beall said.

The flu virus ultimately caused Streptococcus pneumonia to set in both of Mike's lungs, leading to his death, doctors told the family.

The pneumonia took hold because of the hit to Mike's immune system, Mrs. Beall said. His fever spiked at 105 degrees at one point, she added.

"It knocked out his white cells and his platelets were low," Suzy Beall said.

Although doctors do not know what strain of the flu Mike suffered from, they ran numerous tests and found he suffered from no other health problems, she added.

The week before Mike came down with the flu, he visited home, Mrs. Beall said. Several days later, while back at school, he started to feel sick with a cough, a sore throat and chest soreness, and he called his mom, asking what he should take. She suggested vitamin C, lots of water and Nyquil to abate the cough so he could sleep at night.

Nothing was thought of his symptoms at the time, because his girlfriend was just getting over an illness and she was feeling better, Suzy Beall said. A few days later, though, Mike was admitted to Taylor Regional Hospital near the school, originally for precautionary measures, she said.

Mike received great care at Taylor Regional despite its rural location, Suzy Beall said.

Mike's death has taken the Beall family by surprise, to say the least. The oldest of five children of Suzy and Charles Beall, he was in good physical shape from jogging and lifting weights, Mrs. Beall said.

Suzy Beall said her last visit with Michael before his death was a good one, when he came home for the weekend.

"He was probably the happiest he'd ever been last week," Suzy Beall said, referring to her son's blossoming romance with a long-time friend, sparked over Valentine's Day.

Mike also had a "beautiful voice" and had a part in a campus musical set for this weekend at MGC, she said. The production of "Two by Two" at Middle Georgia will go on this weekend, with the performance dedicated to Mike Beall.

Mike had honed his musical talents, which include drums and guitar, in a variety of bands in high school, she said. He also was a "prolific" songwriter, she added.

During last week's ordeal of dealing with Mike's death, Suzy Beall said a group of his friends from college took a bus to attend the funeral, and they brought their youthful joy to the family's home after the service. That meant a lot to her, she said.

"It was good to hear them having a good time, because I know that's what he had," Suzy Beall said of her son, who had a reputation for having a good sense of humor.