Parents Turn Grief into Action After 4-Year-Old Son D**s from Meningitis
\nA heartbroken couple is turning unimaginable pain into purpose. After losing their 4-year-old son, Jaxon, to meningococcal disease, Sammy and John Knowles are raising awareness and funding for meningitis research.<\/p>\n
A Miracle Child Gone Too Soon
\nJaxon Knowles, born in July 2020 in Sheffield, England, was his parents\u2019 \u201cmiracle baby.\u201d After seven years of trying, five rounds of IVF, and three miscarriages, Sammy and John had nearly given up hope. But Jaxon changed everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wanted him for so long,\u201d Sammy told Yorkshire Live. \u201cEvery birthday was over the top\u2014petting zoos, circus rides. We even went to Lapland at Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sudden Illness After a Family Trip
\nThe Knowles family had just returned from a weekend in Blackpool on February 16 when Jaxon complained of pain under his arm and a tummy ache.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe always asked to sleep in my bed when he wasn\u2019t feeling well,\u201d Sammy said. \u201cHe often got chest infections, so I gave him Calpol. It kept his temperature down, and we thought it was nothing serious.\u201d<\/p>\n
That night, Sammy stayed up until 2 a.m. caring for her son. When she woke up again at 5 a.m. to check on him, she noticed a rash.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt first, I thought it was chickenpox,\u201d she recalled. \u201cBut when I turned on the lamp, I saw how bad it really was\u2014it looked like burst veins.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Rapid Decline
\nJaxon suddenly vomited, and his mouth began to swell. The Knowleses called emergency services, who instructed them to lay Jaxon on the floor and count his breaths.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt felt like an eternity,\u201d Sammy said. \u201cOnly in the ambulance were we told 15 nurses and doctors were waiting in ICU. That\u2019s when we first heard the word \u2018meningitis.\u2019 I hadn\u2019t heard about it in years.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the hospital, Jaxon\u2019s condition worsened. His rash turned purple, and he began bl*eding from his eyes. His parents sang his favorite lullabies, clinging to hope.<\/p>\n
Doctors briefly restarted his heart, but Jaxon d**d the morning of February 17.<\/p>\n
What Is Meningococcal Disease?
\nMeningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that affects the brain and spinal cord lining. According to the CDC, it causes dangerous swelling and can be fatal. The charity Meningitis Now reports that 10% of cases result in d**th, even with treatment.<\/p>\n
Keeping Jaxon\u2019s Legacy Alive
\nIn the wake of their loss, the Knowles family created the Jaxon Knowles Forever Fund, raising over \u00a313,000 (around $17,000) for Meningitis Now.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no vaccine available for Jax,\u201d Sammy said. \u201cBut with more funding and more research, that could change.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now, the couple hopes their story will save others.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe house is quiet. There\u2019s a massive void,\u201d Sammy added. \u201cBut if we can help just one family, that\u2019s something.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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