A concerned mother aims to alert parents everywhere.
Jasmine Shortland, the mother of 3-year-old Bryan-Andrew, faced a grim ordeal when her son contracted chickenpox. While he displayed mild symptoms, such as a sore neck and slight swelling, Bryan-Andrew seemed otherwise healthy.
Jasmine, at the age of 23, entrusted her children, Bryan-Andrew and Austin, to their grandmother’s care, believing that Bryan-Andrew’s experience with chickenpox would be no different from his brother’s complication-free case.
Little did she realize that this day would turn into a harrowing chapter in her life. Now, she strives to raise awareness among parents, hoping to spare them from such a devastating experience. The following morning, Jasmine’s desperate attempts to wake Bryan-Andrew proved futile. Even his grandmother’s efforts were in vain.
Paramedics were summoned promptly, but tragically, it was too late. Bryan-Andrew was pronounced deceased.
“The night before, he was full of life, laughing, and playing. It’s just incomprehensible,” Jasmine shared with Daily Mail. She vividly recalls whispering her final “I love you” to him. The loss remains unimaginable, leaving her with questions about how such a tragedy could occur—a healthy child passing away without any apparent serious symptoms.
Weeks later, doctors finally unraveled the mystery. Bryan-Andrew had contracted an uncommon and aggressive form of streptococcus, commonly known as A strep. This infection led to blood poisoning (sepsis), causing severe illness. “No telltale signs were present because it was an exceptionally uncommon event. He exhibited only typical symptoms of mumps—no rashes or anything out of the ordinary,” Jasmine shared with Daily Mail.
Her sole solace lies in the knowledge that her son did not suffer, as he peacefully drifted into eternal sleep. Jasmine’s mission now is to prevent other mothers and families from enduring the heart-wrenching experience she went through with her son. She aspires to raise awareness about this hidden danger associated with chickenpox.