Personal Stories Archives - Families Fighting Flu

Category: Personal Stories

Flu Survivor Shares Story to Help Others Understand Flu is Serious

March 23, 2021 - Shari Hall is a survivor of a life-threatening case of influenza. Shari and her daughter Elizabeth sat down with Families Fighting Flu to talk about their experience, including the challenges Shari faces after losing her leg and several fingers due to complications with the flu. They share their story to help others understand that the […]

Widow Reminds Adults To Get Annual Flu Vaccinations

March 18, 2021 - Lisa and Paul had looked forward to their retirement plans together for years. As they were entering the prime of the lives, Paul – previously healthy – died from complications from the flu. Lisa shares their story now as a reminder that the flu is unpredictable, but preventable through annual vaccination. Video supported by Seqirus.

Life After Influenza: An Ongoing Recovery

March 15, 2021 - Years ago, Jewel was in the hospital fighting for her life after getting the flu. Jewel and her husband Jason shared the challenges of her ongoing recovery in the hopes they can prevent another family living through their experience. Watch their story to hear why Jewel is a Families Fighting Flu Advocate. Video supported by […]

Grieving Mom Urges Parents to Get Annual Flu Vaccinations

March 10, 2021 - Two-year-old Reese was an energetic, healthy toddler loved dearly by her entire family when her life was cut short by the flu. Reese became ill with what her family assumed was a cold, but turned out to be Influenza B. She seemed like she was doing well, even getting back to eating and playing, but […]

Don’t Delay, Fight Flu Today!

January 4, 2021 - This year more than ever, getting a flu shot is not just about protecting yourself, but also your family, loved ones and community. This flu season, we’ve created storytelling tools to help spread the word about how serious the flu can be, and the importance of seasonal vaccination, especially this flu season. Get involved and […]

How You Can Make a Difference This Flu Season

December 16, 2020 - Families Fighting Flu was founded by families whose loved ones have suffered serious medical complications or died from influenza. We share our personal stories because we want everyone to understand that flu is unpredictable and potentially deadly, but can be prevented through annual flu vaccination. The Importance of Sharing Stories According to cognitive psychologist Jerome […]

When the Holidays Aren’t Happy – How To Manage Grief and Support Others

December 14, 2020 - Angie Wehrkamp’s daughter Gianna died suddenly from the flu when she was 2 years old. Angie serves as Secretary for the Families Fighting Flu Board of Directors. The most wonderful time of the year will never be as wonderful as it once was for someone who has lost a child or other loved one. I […]

A Survivor’s Perspective on Flu

August 7, 2020 - The following blog post is written by Madi Allen, who survived a 93-day flu hospitalization in 2011. Read her flu story here. In 2011, I was twelve years old and my life was like any other kid my age. What started as a weekend that was supposed to be spent with friends quickly turned into […]

Dealing with Grief on Father’s Day

June 5, 2020 - Father’s Day is June 21, 2020. While for most this is a happy day, for fathers who have lost children it can be a difficult reminder of their loss. Sometimes it can be hard to know what to say and what not to say to a grieving parent. Follow the list below for guidelines written […]

My Reaction to COVID-19 as a Mother Whose Daughter Was on a Ventilator Due to Flu

June 2, 2020 - Written by Families Fighting Flu Treasurer, Jennifer Miller. Read her daughter’s flu story here. When I first began to hear about patients’ experiences being hospitalized with COVID-19, I had an uneasy feeling that this new virus was similar to the flu virus that almost took my daughter’s life. While flu and COVID-19 are different in […]