Jack Bolam († 19) from the English city of Newcastle died of bacterial meningitis less than 48 hours after he first complained of being cold. His family warns the public about subtle symptoms of this dangerous disease, reports the portal
Before leaving for work, Jack mentioned that he was feeling cold. However, shortly after starting his service in the store, he became he began to feel dizzy and nauseous. About 20 minutes later, he called his sister to come pick him up.
When she arrived, she found him leaning against the guttering pipe because he couldn’t stay on his feet. At home, his father made him tea, but Jack kept saying he was very cold and shivering. Shortly thereafter, he started vomiting and had severe convulsions.
The ambulance rushed him to the hospital, where the doctors put him into artificial sleep in the intensive care unit. The family hoped that his condition would improve. Less than 48 hours later, however, devastating news arrived. Jack’s brain no longer showed any activity.
Parents had to make one of the most difficult decisions in life and agree to disconnect from devices. Jack died approximately ten minutes after life support was turned off. An autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was bacterial meningitis.
His mum Joanne said it all happened incredibly quickly and without warning.“He didn’t have a rash or any significant symptoms. He was just cold. I thought he just had a cold.” he recalls with sadness. Today, the family works with a charity organization and tries to spread awareness about this disease.
They point out that booster vaccination in the teenage years is not well known and can be life saving. According to those close to him, Jack was a friendly and caring young man who loved rugby and was always helping others. In his honor, the family organizes charity events and urges people to be vigilant in case of similar symptoms.
