Mary Edging and Jimmy Vernon, the parents of 9-year-old Madeline Vernon, are preparing to lay their little girl to rest after she died from flu complications last month.
“Tuesday morning [Jan. 28] when she got up, she had a fever of 104.9 [degrees],” Edging said. “We took her back to urgent care because I took her to the hospital the night before, and her lung was nothing but infection.”
Madeline died the next day on Jan. 29. Her family describes her as an outgoing child, that loved to play sports.
“I literally feel like my heart has been ripped in half. I lost, I literally lost a piece of me,” Edging said
Dr. Daniel Park, the medical director of the pediatric emergency department at UNC Medical Center, calls the death of Madeline a tragedy. He tells WRAL News that we are experiencing the peak of flu season, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The flu is at the highest level it’s been at in 15 years.
“Those who are very young and very old. And those with chronic medical conditions, who are immunocompromised or who have a chronic medical condition and are technology dependent, meaning they have tracheotomy tubes or are ventilator dependent. Those patients are at a much higher risk of severe illness and that’s what we’re seeing in the emergency departments,” Park said.
Park encourages anyone 6 months and older to take steps to stay safe.
“Prevention is huge,” Park said. “It is not too late to get the flu vaccine, even in the middle of flu season. It’s never too late to get the flu vaccine.”
According to Edging, her daughter did not receive her flu vaccine and she encourages other to get theirs.
Madeline Vernon’s death comes as the state reports two children between ages 5 and 17 have died from the flu this season in North Carolina.
This past year in North Carolina, there were more than 300 flu-related deaths, including 16 children.
Studies show getting the flu vaccine lowers your chances of getting the flu by 50%. This year’s vaccine covers two influenza A viruses and influenza B.
A GoFundMe has been set up for Madeline Vernon. Tap here to learn more.
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