Instead of Presents, a Loss of Presence
This week a graduate student at George Washington University passed away from meningococcal disease. His family, instead of planning for the holidays and wrapping presents, are planning a funeral. I just keep thinking about the family. I don’t know them; I don’t know their names. What I do know is their heartache. It just resonates inside me, as the grief of losing my own son to meningitis will never go away.
I don’t know if the strain this young man had was vaccine-preventable, if he had been vaccinated, or what the details are. I just know that he suffered, and it tears me to pieces. I hope all families will make sure that their children are vaccinated for all vaccine-preventable diseases. Some diseases are rare, but they will strike. Look at my family, and look at the family of this young man. Too many precious lives are being lost to vaccine-preventable diseases.
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Hi just wanted to say that I like your article very much. Please keep up the good posts Thanks a ton! and Have a good day
Lynn, as you know, I too suffer with the thought of this young man dying of meningococcal meningitis. Had we both, but known about the vacine, both our sons would still be with us today. My heart hurts so badly for the parents and family of this young GW University student. When we first heard the news, my throat simply closed up again as it did for months after Mike’s death from this dreaded disease.
I am sure that the parents of this young student would also trade all their wordly possessions to be able to once again see that smiling face, hear those wise cracks and feel that warm hand on their shoulder just once again.
I know there is nothing in this world that would make me any happier than to know that our efforts to bring awareness of this horrible disease and it’s prevention, may have saved one family from that horrible devastation of losing a child.