Mum 'Grieving' For Son, Aged Six, Who Can't Eat, Sleep Or Talk After He Got The Flu

Oct 24, 2019

Six-year-old Blake came down with the flu. Though a common illness, influenza can sometimes have devastating side effects. In Blake's case, he came down with acute necrotizing encephalopathy. His mother is beside herself with sorrow at her young son's horrific symptoms.

According to his mom Kirsty Hostick's description, Blake currently can't walk, sleep, or eat. This debilitating condition all started two years earlier when he got the flu. Though Kirsty is overcome with grief, she is determined for Blake to have the best quality of life possible in his circumstances.

Watching her son's condition deteriorate hasn't been easy. Kirsty, who is 32 years old, misses her son's former happy and healthy life. She is still fighting for him to this day.

There are just 150 documented cases of Blake's disease in the entire world, so it's extremely uncommon. Because of the serious brain damage that acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE) causes, Blake's prognosis was grim from the outset.

It all started back in February of 2018 when Blake, aged four at the time, was rushed to the hospital by EMS. He spent nine months there. Ever since that fateful day, life for both him and his family hasn't been the same.

Kirsty, a conscientious mom, had already taken Blake to the doctor two days prior to him being admitted to the hospital. At first, he just seemed to have a typical virus. By the time the ambulance came to get him, he had taken a serious turn for the worse. He wouldn't eat or drink, his speech was starting to sound slurred, and he was unable to stand up. The doctors decided to medically induce a coma as they desperately tried to treat Blake's condition. Kirsty and her husband Joseph, Blake's stepdad, stayed by his side throughout the coma, causing Joseph to lose his job.

When Blake awoke from the coma, he wasn't his usual self at all. His brain had suffered severe damage. Doctors were puzzled as tests for meningitis and other illnesses came back negative. Eventually, they decided to test for ANE and the results were positive. When Blake's family found out about the disease's impact on Blake's current state as well as his likely future with the disease, they felt like they were living out a nightmare scenario.

After leaving the hospital five months later, Blake was transferred to a rehabilitation center for further treatment. During this time his brothers, Haydon, age eleven, and Kaleb, age eight, had to stay with their grandparents. Fundraising efforts did make it possible for the brothers to visit Blake on weekends.

No one can tell the family for sure if Blake's condition will ever get much better. The family is raising funds to help provide him with the best treatment possible. Two-thirds of people who contract ANE actually die from the disease, and only a very small percentage fully recover after contracting it. The family is still hopeful that one day Blake, who has seen small improvements, will experience significant progress.

What are your thoughts on Blake's difficult journey? We'd love to hear your reaction to this heartbreaking story in the comments. Pass this story along to help raise awareness of this rare disease!