A tragic incident unfolded when a teenager became paralyzed and met a devastating end after consuming a slug as part of a dare during a birthday celebration. The young rugby talent, Sam Ballard, hailing from Sydney, Australia, was socializing at a friend’s residence when he ingested the slug at the prompting of his companions, oblivious to the fact that it carried the fatal rat lungworm disease.
Although typically found in rodents, the parasite transmits its larvae through the animals’ excrement, which can then infect snails and slugs. Sam did not display immediate symptoms but later experienced severe leg pains following the party in 2010.
Concerned about the slug consumption, Sam’s mother dismissed his worries, claiming no one gets sick from such an act. However, Sam eventually fell ill with a brain infection, leading to a 420-day coma. Upon awakening, he was paralyzed from the neck down, suffered seizures, struggled with body temperature regulation, and required tube feeding. Tragically, he passed away at the age of 28 in 2018, surrounded by his family and close friends.
Recalling the night of the party, Sam’s friend Jimmy recounted a casual gathering where the slug incident transpired, with Sam impulsively deciding to eat it. Another friend, Michael Sheasby, described the shock of seeing Sam in the hospital post-party, noting the drastic change in his condition. Sam’s poignant final words to his mother were “I love you.”
Despite the profound impact on her family, Sam’s mother refrained from blaming his friends, stating they were merely acting as companions. She shared the ongoing struggle for Sam’s care, highlighting challenges with government funding. Initially granted £234,000 under the disability insurance scheme, funding was significantly reduced in 2017 but later reinstated after fervent efforts by Sam’s loved ones.
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