Spencer King's story

Spencer had taken a trip to Toronto to celebrate the New Year before returning to college from his winter break. Shortly after returning, he visited his orthodontist to have stitches removed and was given a clean bill of health. The following day, he went to his part-time job, picked up Chick-fil-A for dinner, and came home to change clothes. Later that evening, he headed out to enjoy one of his favorite pastimes: bowling with friends. He returned home around 10 p.m., looking unusually tired. When I asked what was wrong, he simply said he felt "off" and had gotten sleepy on the drive home. Concerned, I took his temperature, but it wasn’t elevated. I gave him a couple of Tylenol, and he went to bed.

At around 3 a.m. on January 4th, 2024, I was awakened by a text from Spencer. He still felt unwell—complaining of slight nausea, pain in his jaw, and difficulty sleeping. He mentioned that people "wouldn’t stop annoying him," which felt odd. His father and I began to worry. Our first thought was that he might have taken something, possibly drugs, that were causing these unusual symptoms. His father went to work, and I decided to stay home and keep an eye on him.

We never once considered meningitis. Spencer had been vaccinated with the required meningitis shots, so it didn’t cross our minds. My initial thought was that it could be COVID or the flu, especially since he had just returned from Canada. I gave him something to help with his nausea, and he managed to eat a few saltine crackers and sip some ginger ale. But he remained lethargic, and his heart rate seemed higher than usual. 

I put him in a shower and then brought him to my bed to monitor him closely. That’s when I took his temperature again—104.7°F. Panic set in. We rushed him to the nearest emergency room, and though he was weak, Spencer managed to walk in and explain his symptoms to the staff. 

What followed was a nightmare. His health declined rapidly. Every passing hour brought new complications and Spencer gave his last breath just a few hours later. Our one and only son was gone. In the span of a day, our world had been flipped upside down.

Months later, as we tried to make sense of what happened, I was able to access Spencer’s medical records. That’s when I discovered he had only received the required meningitis vaccine, not the recommended serogroup B vaccine. While I can’t say for certain that this would have changed the outcome, knowing that there was an additional vaccine that could have offered protection haunts me. 

Now, my mission is to spread awareness. There are vaccines out there—some required, some recommended—that could save a life. I encourage everyone to get fully vaccinated, not just what’s required but what’s recommended too. You never know when it might make the difference.

Spencer, even in his final moments, showed incredible strength. I’ll never forget him looking at me from his hospital bed, body wracked with pain, and saying, "Don’t cry." Even in his darkest hour, he held onto his faith. I cry every day for him, but I also carry his faith with me. Through sharing his story, I hope to honor his life and encourage others to protect themselves and their loved ones. Trust in God and trust in the power of prevention—it may save your life or the life of someone you love.