Family Stories
The emotional stories of families whose lives have been permanently altered by the flu.
Our family stories put a face to the flu and illustrate why we’re so driven in our mission. Flu is a serious disease and we are all at risk, regardless of age, gender, health status, ethnicity, or lifestyle. We share these emotional family stories to educate others about the importance of flu prevention and annual flu vaccination for everyone six months and older.
Our Stories...
![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-09-29-at-12.19.34-PM-300x300.png)
The Allen Family
Madi was a healthy 12-year-old athlete before she spent a total of 93 days in the hospital recovering from her near-death experience with flu.
Read Madi’s story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Booth_Austin-min-300x300.jpg)
The Booth Family
Austin’s parents wish they could rewind to before their nightmare began to get vaccinated against the flu.
Read Austin’s story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Bryerlee-Profile-Photo-e1539787695293-300x300.jpg)
The Byerman Family
Bryerlee's flu illness was almost deadly - but thankfully she survived.
Read Bryerlee's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Maya_Cargile-min-300x300.jpg)
The Cargile Family
Maya’s mother knows that a flu vaccine could have prevented their horrible ordeal.
Read Maya’s story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Chance_Chandler-min-300x300.jpg)
The Chandler Family
Chance's family did not know that the vaccine changes annually and, as such, people need to get vaccinated every year.
Read Chance's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Chelsea_Oliver_Craft-min-300x300.jpg)
The Craft Family
Chelsea was not vaccinated against H1N1 because at the time the vaccine was not available in her community.
Read Chelsea's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-08-11-at-9.13.43-AM-300x300.png)
The Crane Family
Blake's parents did not know that people die from the flu until it happened to their son.
Read Blake's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_James_DImperio-min-300x300.jpg)
The D’Imperio Family
James died from the flu despite having no obvious risk factors.
Read James's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-10-05-at-4.10.09-PM-300x300.png)
The Darling Family
Isabella's flu illness damaged her lungs, leading to a double lung transplant.
Read Isabella's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Anakin-Das-300x300.png)
The Das Family
Anakin was born 10 weeks premature because his mother had the flu while pregnant.
Read Anakin's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/AmiahPic1-e1554492802618-300x300.jpg)
The Drapeau Family
Amiah was just 4-years-old when she died from the influenza B virus.
Read Amiah's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-09-30-at-1.50.49-PM-300x300.png)
The Duvall Family
Luke was a healthy 15-year-old athlete who spent 12 days in a coma and 30 days in the hospital with flu.
Read Luke's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Tony-Estlinbaum-3-300x300.jpeg)
The Estlinbaum Family
Tony was one of the first children hospitalized with H1N1 in the US.
Read Tony's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Nick-Fulweiler-profile-picture-300x300.jpg)
The Fulweiler Family
Nick's flu illness caused a 28-day hospitalization and multiple medical complications.
Read Nick's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-09-29-at-11.21.28-AM-300x300.png)
The Gorenstein Family
Nate's asthma exacerbated his flu illness and his heart stopped beating.
Read Nate's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/image1-300x300.png)
The Hall Family
Shari was a healthy mom and wife whose flu illness led to 41 days in the ICU and multiple amputations.
Read Shari's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Will-Hauver-square-300x300.jpg)
The Hauver Family
Will's flu illness progressed to diabetic ketoacidosis, causing him to lose his life in less than three days.
Read Will's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Latasha-Haynes-Headshot-Jen-Bertrand1-e1554493115249-300x300.jpg)
The Haynes Family
Latasha was a healthy, active 34-year-old when what seemed like a simple illness turned into pneumonia and congestive heart failure.
Read Latasha's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Elijah_Henderson-min-300x300.jpg)
The Henderson Family
Elijah died from influenza just two days after showing his first symptom. He was not vaccinated against the flu.
Read Elijah's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Charlie-Hinderliter_Profile-Pic-300x300.jpg)
The Hinderliter Family
Charlie was a healthy 38-year-old whose flu illness put him in the hospital for 58 days.
Read Charlie's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Joey-Holt-min-300x300.jpg)
The Holt Family
Joey had not been vaccinated against H1N1 because at the time the vaccine was not available in his community.
Read Joey's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Amy-Hunt2-300x300.jpg)
The Hunt Family
Amy lost her life to secondary complications caused by the influenza virus.
Read Amy's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_marques_jackson-min-300x300.jpg)
The Jackson Family
Marques’ death has made his family crusaders for yearly influenza vaccinations.
Read Marques' Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Amanda_Kanowitz-min-300x300.jpg)
The Kanowitz Family
Amanda seemed to have a typical virus, but within 48 hours she was found lifeless in her bed.
Read Amanda's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/KATZ_AVIVA_MD_PDS_20060815-1-e1635971140197-300x300.jpg)
The Katz Family
Aviva Katz was a pediatric surgeon recovering from leukemia who died from the flu.
Read Aviva's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-07-at-11.46.52-AM-300x300.png)
The Lastinger Family
Emily laid down in her parents’ bed to rest. She was found lifeless 15 minutes later.
Read Emily's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Piper_Lowery-min-300x300.jpg)
The Lowery Family
The year she died, Piper had not been vaccinated against the flu because she did not like needles.
Read Piper's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_KendraObrien-300x300.jpg)
The Mann-O'Brien Family
Kendra was a 35-year-old mother of two when she lost her life to flu.
Read Kendra's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Joseph_Marotta-min-300x300.jpg)
The Marotta Family
Joseph had not been vaccinated against H1N1 influenza because at the time the vaccine was not available in his community.
Read Joseph's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-08-at-12.22.32-PM-300x300.png)
The McCarthy Family
What seemed like a little “bug” that caused Ayzlee to feel achy with a fever turned into her struggling for breath and fighting for her life.
Read Ayzlee's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Ashley_McCormick-min-300x300.jpg)
The McCormick Family
Ashley’s doctors had a hard time finding a hospital that had an available ECMO machine because it was the peak of the flu season and they were all being used.
Read Ashley's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Martin-McGowan-2004-min-300x300.jpg)
The McGowan Family
Martin died of complications from influenza just 24 hours after his first symptom appeared.
Read Martin's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Christopher-McKinley-Rosen-min-300x300.jpg)
The McKinley-Rosen Family
Christopher had a sudden onset of influenza B that caused a brain injury.
Read Christopher's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Allison-Miller-Effects-Flu_sq-300x300.jpg)
The Miller Family
Allison's flu illness resulted in the amputation of her left leg above the knee.
Read Allison's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Caroline_Miller-min-300x300.jpg)
The Miller Family
Caroline had been vaccinated against the flu every year. The one year her parents forgot, she ended up hospitalized with flu.
Read Caroline's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Christa-Mitchell-profile-pic-300x300.jpg)
The Mitchell Family
Christa lost some of her fingers and all of her toes from the flu.
Read Christa's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Ian_Moise-min-300x300.jpg)
The Moise Family
Ian died of complications from influenza A 30 hours after he showed his first symptom of being sick.
Read Ian's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/JJ-Neiman-Photo_Square-300x300.jpg)
The Neiman-Brown Family
JJ was a healthy two-year-old whose life was taken by flu in less than 24 hours.
Read JJ's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-07-at-11.27.37-AM-300x300.png)
The Nuland Family
Jacob has been hospitalized twice from the flu. Flu vaccination may have saved his life both times.
Read Jacob's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Breanne_Palmer-min-300x300.jpg)
The Palmer Family
Breanne died in her mother’s arms on December 23, 2003 from influenza A.
Read Breanne's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Kennedy_Parks_5707-300x300.jpg)
The Parks Family
Kennedy was a vibrant and otherwise healthy 2-year-old who died suddenly from the flu in 2023.
Read Kennedy's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2020-05-15-at-4.32.19-PM-300x300.png)
The Pena Family
Reese's mother thought the flu vaccine was optional. This one decision not to vaccinate forever changed her life.
Read Reese's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-06-at-7.43.42-PM-300x300.png)
The Peters Family
Prior to her death, no one suggested that Brittney receive a flu vaccine.
Read Brittney's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-08-at-10.15.41-AM-e1633706563322-300x300.png)
The Pisani Family
Antonio wasn't vaccinated against the flu because at the time it wasn't recommended for his age.
Read Antonio's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Cecilia_BattleFluVaccine_Photo-e1554493017739-300x300.png)
The Pulgini Family
Cecilia lost her life to the flu after eight agonizing days in the hospital.
Read Cecilia's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Paul-Rasmussen1_-Square-Photo-300x300.jpg)
The Rasmussen Family
Paul was a healthy 57-year-old whose first-ever flu illness led to his death.
Read Paul's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Jewel-Rogers-photo-300x300.jpg)
The Rogers Family
Jewel was hospitalized for over three months with complications of H1N1 flu.
Read Jewel's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_1145-300x300.jpg)
The Romero Family
Madison passed away from flu after her heart stopped beating for the fourth time.
Read Madison's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-09-23-at-3.28.58-PM-300x300.png)
The Schwolert Family
Max was a healthy, 17-year-old athlete whose life was tragically cut short by flu.
Read Max's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/LeonsPhotos-300x300.jpg)
The Sidari Family
Leon died on Christmas morning, only two days after showing flu symptoms.
Read Leon's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Noel_Smith-min-300x300.jpg)
The Smith Family
In the blink of an eye, a parent’s worst nightmare became the Smith’s reality.
Read Noel's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/CaydenSmith-300x300.jpg)
The Smith Family
In less than 48 hours, flu took the life of bubbly, joyous 3-year-old Cayden.
Read Cayden's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Emma-Splan1-e1554492657131-300x300.jpg)
The Splan Family
The flu attacked Emma's heart, causing her to lose her life at just 6 years old.
Read Emma's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/FS_Jessica_Steinhires-min-300x300.jpg)
The Stein Family
When 4-year-old Jessica's heart stopped beating doctors attempted to revive her, but were unsuccessful.
Read Jessica's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Kaden_Stevenson_Families-Fighting-Flu_4746-300x300.jpg)
The Stevenson Family
Kaden was an otherwise healthy, active 7-year-old who ended up losing both of his legs due to complications from flu.
Read Kaden's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-08-09-at-11.05.35-PM-300x300.png)
The Swenson Family
Josiah was hospitalized with flu during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read Josiah's Story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/image3-2-300x300.jpeg)
The Teichman Family
Brent was a vibrant and healthy 29-year-old chef who died just four hours after seeking medical care.
Read Brent's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/MartyVlasman_FluComplications_Photo-e1554492957442-300x300.png)
The Vlasman Family
Marty went out with friends to celebrate New Year's Eve. When he woke up, it was February.
Read Marty's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-09-30-at-5.09.58-PM-300x300.png)
The Wehrkamp Family
In less than two days, the flu took Gianna's life while she was sleeping.
Read Gianna's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-10-07-at-10.48.24-AM-300x300.png)
The Yaksich Family
Alanna died from swelling and injury to her brain from the flu.
Read Alana's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2021-08-09-at-10.58.38-PM-300x300.png)
The Zabel Family
Kayauna was a healthy 20-year-old who died from a flu infection that caused multi-system organ failure.
Read Kayauna's story![](https://www.familiesfightingflu.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2022-01-03-at-11.47.29-AM-300x300.png)
The Zenus Family
Aaron was a healthy 12-year-old who died from flu only 72 hours after his first symptoms appeared.
Read Aaron's StoryPage last reviewed: September 2021.