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A promising young rugby player who was left quadriplegic after eating a slug as a challenge from his comrades died.
Sam Ballard, of Sydney, swallowed the garden creature – unaware that he was infected with rat lungworm – at a party and quickly became ill.
Newspix Australia – Newscorp
The then 19-year-old man had contracted eosinophilic meningoencephalitis and had fallen into a coma for 420 days, suffering from a serious brain infection.
He spent three years in the hospital but died tragically on Friday at the age of 28 years after years of medical complications.
Sunday Project actress Lisa Wilkinson confirmed this tragic news, saying that he was "surrounded by his family and loyal and affectionate companions" at his death.
She added, "His last words to his mother:" I love you. "
Newspix Australia – Newscorp
Sam had seizures, was unable to control his body temperature and had to be powered by probe, the The telegraph of the day reported.
Speaking earlier this year, his friend Jimmy recalled the evening of the 2010 holiday.
He told the project: "We were sitting, spending the night enjoying the red wine, trying to play the role of big ones and a slug went through.
"The conversation was started:" Should I eat it? " Off Sam is gone. Stroke. That's how it happened. "
After swallowing the slug, Sam fell ill quickly and was taken to hospital where he was found to be infected with rat lungworm.
The worm is found in rodents, but snails or slugs can be infected when they eat rat feces.
Although most people do not develop any symptoms, very rarely, this causes an infection of the brain.
Another friend, Michael Sheasby, told the newspaper his first entry into Sam's hospital room after the accident.
Social Media – Refer to Source
He said, "When I came in, he was very, very thin and there were cables everywhere. It was a shock. "
Katie Ballard, Sam's mother, says that she does not blame the boys for their stupid challenge, nor that their son accepts them.
She said that they were only "buddies" on that fateful night and that she could not hold them responsible.
The mother had also previously revealed how much Sam's illness had struck the family by saying, "She's devastated, changed her life forever, changed my life forever. The impact is huge. "
Newspix Australia – Newscorp
When Sam was released from a Sydney hospital in a motorized wheelchair three years after falling ill, his comrades rallied to him.
The Ballard team raised funds for 24-hour care that it now needed, but that could never be enough.
Katie applied for National Disability Insurance (NDIS) membership when Sam became eligible for a £ 300,000 package in 2016.
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But last September, without warning, the NDIS sent a message to Mrs. Ballard to tell her that a review of her plan had reduced her allowance to about £ 75,000.
The mbadive reduction in funding was unexplained and day and night care means that the Ballard family is heavily indebted and currently owes a £ 25,000 nursing service.
The NDIS said it "worked closely with the Ballard family" to find a solution.
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