Last year, a 15-year-old girl named Allyson marched in the Ashland Christmas Parade in Ohio. Just a few days later, she was gone. Allyson died from the flu the day after Thanksgiving, leaving her family completely devastated.
Allyson's mom, Carisa, never thought flu season would hit home in this most unimaginable way. After all, Allyson was a young high school student who was active and social, and who had been healthy her whole life. But she was rushed to the hospital on Thanksgiving Day, admitted for flu and double pneumonia, and passed away the next day.
Last year's strains of flu showed up differently than in years past. Fever wasn't a common symptom, making it harder to detect, but people still transferred the illness. “Losing a child isn’t natural,” Carisa says. “My daughter really loved people. She would want me to try to educate people. If a flu shot is your best defense in getting sick, get a flu shot.”
According to the CDC, the elderly, sick and the very young are most at risk for contracting the flu. They also say a flu shot is the best defense in fighting the virus.
Please SHARE this story as a reminder that there's still time to get your flu shot for the season.
