Personal Meningitis Stories
Kathryn & Michael
Bob & Dee Dee
On the 25 February 2004, our healthy 20-year-old daughter, Becky, died unexpectedly from meningitis. Becky's death was, and continues to be, an unfathomable concept. We still cannot grasp the idea that she is gone...
USA
Jeongjun
I was affected by meningococcal meningitis about 10 years ago, when I lost my legs and fingers because of the disease. At the time, I thought that I had lost everything, including my dreams. One day, I met a man who changed my life...
South Korea
Andrez
It was Christmas Eve 2005. The windows of Christmas lights flickered. Most of Krakow was preparing its Christmas supper. Andrez Kuczara was in a hospital corridor, his heart tearing with despair...
Poland
Bev & Riley
Riley was teething at the time he contracted meningitis so his initial loss of appetite and irritability was not unusual. He seemed fine in the morning but by lunchtime was unsettled and had a slight temperature...
United Kingdom
In 1995, Kathryn was shaken to the core of her existence with the sudden death of her 19-year-old son Michael from meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. Michael wasn't feeling well on Friday. Four days later, he died.
Kathryn
Canada
It was Boxing Day 1989 and our family was attending a friend's outdoor party. Our six-month-old daughter Ashleigh was the star of the day and had her first swim in a pool. Next morning, Ashleigh wasn't acting like herself...
Bruce & Jenni
Australia
On account of our ignorance about meningitis, we lost our daughter Audrey. She was 12 years old and died from meningococcal C meningitis after 24 hours of pain, vomiting, fever, skin discolorations (purpura) and sensitivity to light.
France
Jimmy & Veronique
I was four years old. A healthy and happy child. That day, for the first time, I had a fever and did not feel well at all. But for the rest of the week, no symptoms of my sickness showed.
Elena
Spain
I started at the University of Leeds in September 2007. I was having fun, had made many friends and was enjoying my first taste of independence. I had danced since I was young...
Kathleen
United Kingdom
In November 2008, my 20-year-old daughter Jamie, almost lost her life to bacterial meningococcal disease. Jamie was in hospital in Houston, Texas (USA) for over 6 months...
Patsy & Jamie
USA
In March 1990, our beautiful daughter Madeleine contracted haemophilus influenzae just three weeks before her third birthday. We stayed in the hospital for two weeks...
Ann-Charlotte
Sweden
Our youngest son, Ondra, who is now 5½ years old, became seriously ill with pneumococcal meningitis at 22 months of age. We can say that he was fortunate because he survived...
Rudolf & Katherine
Czech Republic
On 14 May 2007, a beautiful blonde, blue-eyed little boy named Dylan Robert McNeil was born into this world. His smile and love for life was contagious. He was a blessing to so many lives, in many different ways...
Sabrina
USA
On 23 July 2013, my 24 year old brother Tyler Parker died from meningitis. In the week leading up to this day he had been complaining about pain and stiffness in his neck, along with a headache...
Chandler
USA
Cameron was 5 ½ months old when he developed pneumococcal meningitis in a remote country town in Western Australia...
Cameron
Australia
My scars are my story and I am proud of them. I embrace the curious stares of strangers. Most of all, I hope they stare at my art and see that I am following my dreams.
Sam
USA
In August 2016, at age 30, I had reached the peak of my career. I landed my dream job travelling around Australia for work in aged care. I was happy. I was independent. But my life was turned upside in a matter of hours.
Sarah
Australia
On the 2nd of January 2017, I woke up at around 5am with uncontrollable, whole body convulsions. Although I couldn’t stop shaking, I passed this off as just being cold, put 2 more duvets on me, and went back to sleep. This should have been my first warning sign
Emma
Australia
This is the story of my son Mathias, who was just two weeks short of turning 18, and it started with a tick bite on his stomach on a Wednesday morning in July 2019 while we were playing tennis...
Mathias
Sweden
Around 5pm that evening I laid Sage in his Rock and Play, gave him some Tylenol for his fever, and made our other son, Skye, dinner. While Skye was eating he tried to get Sage's attention, but Sage stared back at him blankly...
Christy
USA
More personal stories
Bonnie had been sick for a couple of days around Christmas of 1990. We went to her doctor and he thought she had the flu. He prescribed an antibiotic. She seemed to be getting better, but a few days later Bonnie came home from school feeling very ill...
Jim, Sue and Bonnie
USA
My name is Nathalie and I live with my family in Beirut, Lebanon. Alexandra, my daughter (seen on the right), is 4 years old. She has had her vaccines against meningitis type A, C, W but she contracted the Type B. Alexandra was a perfectly healthy little girl...
Nathalie
Lebanon
My life changed forever on January 31, 2013 at 8:15 a.m. Before that moment, I was a proud busy mom juggling a career and being a mom and wife with 3 beautiful children – Karly 21, Emily 19, and Zachary 16...
Alicia
USA
One sunny morning, I went to the post office and left my fiancé, Jane, making breakfast. She called me 20 minutes later with a very weak voice saying that she had collapsed on the floor and to get home quickly...
Kevin and Jane
Thailand
My son Ryan was born on 10 August 2006. He was a healthy 8lbs 1oz baby. He was so funny, so cute, with big blue eyes and blonde hair. He was perfect. I had a beautiful baby boy for 14 months...
Courtney & Bryan
USA
My daughter MaryJo was a beautiful, multitalented, vibrant and well-travelled young woman when she contracted meningococcemia just 8 days before her 16th birthday in July 2000...
Rose & Maryjo
USA
Some days are easier than others for Siobhan and Noel Carroll, but there is never an easy day. Siobhan and Noel's lives changed in a heartbeat when their eldest child, Aoibhe, passed away on 2 April 2008.
Siobhan & Noel
Ireland
On 8 February 2011, I received a phone call that devastated my life forever. My son, Nicolis, has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. He’d woken that morning at college with a bad headache and high fever...
Greg
USA
Amy was on a family holiday when her younger brothers, aged seven and four, both developed meningitis within 24 hours of each other.
Amy
UK
I am a mother of two girls and a boy. The youngest of my girls is now an angel. In 2010, our lives changed within hours after the sudden death of my three-year-old daughter Chelsea from meningococcal meningitis.