An 11-year-old boy suddenly passed away from a flesh-eating infection after twisting his ankle while working out.
According to Fox 35, his cousin Megan Brown said Jesse Brown of Winter Park, Florida, had been running on the treadmill a few weeks ago when he suddenly injured his ankle. While it appeared the kid only suffered from a sprained ankle, that was not the case. A few days after the accident, his mother woke up to a horrifying sight. She discovered that “his whole leg was covered in like splotchy, purply, red, almost like bruises.”
From there, chaos ensued for the Brown family. Jesse was immediately admitted to the ICU, where doctors shockingly diagnosed him with Group A Strep infection caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria. For those who don’t know, Strep A can occur after being infected with Group A Streptococcus – which includes strep throat, scarlet fever, necrotizing fasciitis, rheumatic fever, impetigo, and more. The infections can be severe if the bacteria gets into the tissue outside of where it usually lives. And in Jesse’s case, his condition was very severe.
Within days, the infection turned deadly. Jesse developed flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis (also known as flesh-eating bacteria), which caused his brain to swell. While the doctors did everything they could, the child did not survive. Just heartbreaking. He was so young…
His cousin noted to the outlet that doctors believed the infection was triggered by his treadmill injury, explaining:
“They said that because he rolled his ankle, that that’s likely where the infection attacked it. Because it was already weak. For this to kill him in just a matter of days was crazy. If there was more awareness, maybe we could have caught it earlier when we noticed he had a fever.”
Since his death, Megan has created a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for Jesse’s funeral service and hospital bills. She shared that her cousin was “a miracle child,” adding:
“His parents were told they would never have children. They had given up hope, and after 10 years of trying, they were blessed with Jesse Ryder Brown. That miracle was taken from us far too soon. … His parents, Betsy and Brad, gave everything to this boy. Their entire lives revolved around him. He was spoiled rotten, but who wouldn’t do that for their miracle baby.”
Megan also shared that “Jesse was a completely happy and healthy boy, destined for great things”:
“His passion was dirt bike racing and he also participated in Muay Thai. He was racing BMX bikes by the time he was three years old. Everyone who met Jesse loved him. He was hilarious, his laugh was contagious, and he just lit up the room.”
His school Lakemont Elementary also started a memorial fund for Jesse’s family, recalling how the student always made “sure everyone started their day with a smile.” They wrote:
“While Jesse was a miracle to his parents and family, he was also a true blessing to his Lakemont Family. Jesse was kind and compassionate, looked out for others, adventurous, and truly an amazing friend and classmate. He also knew how to make the most of fun times with friends outside and lived life to the fullest with his BMX and dirt bike racing. Jesse worked hard and had a huge heart. He was one of our patrols that worked to keep the school safe, but also worked to make sure everyone started their day with a smile. Everyone that knew Jesse has nothing but love for him. “
Clearly, he was loved by so many people. Our hearts go out to Jesse’s family during this difficult time. You can donate to the family’s GoFundMe HERE.
[Image via GoFundMe]
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