Teen Rugby Player Left Paralyzed After Eating A Backyard Slug On A Dare
Teen paralyzed after eating a slug
Sam Ballard is an Australian teen paralyzed after eating a slug on a dare. For then-19-year-old Sam Ballard, a relaxing, balmy Australian night took a disastrous turn after a simple dare went sideways. When an infected slug crawled into view of Ballard and his mates, the teen swallowed it, giving in to the playful prodding of his friends. Shortly after, Ballard was fighting for his life in the intensive care unit of a nearby hospital. It was the start of became a years-long struggle for the once-healthy young man. Ballard has fought to reclaim his quality of life. But it will only ever be a shadow of what had before that fateful swallow.Meet Sam Ballard
Sam Ballard was once a seemingly invincible Australian teenager, well-liked by his friends and an accomplished rugby player.
Ballard’s mother even once lovingly referred to her son before as her “rough and tumble Sam,” immune to the regular scrapes and bruises that would normally slow other teens down. Unfortunately, Ballard’s healthy constitution and athleticism were soon tested to the extreme after one fateful get-together with friends.
The Dare
[dx_custom_adunit desktop_id=”RTK_K67O” mobile_id=”RTK_5yk0″]
Since the incident, Ballard’s friend Jimmy Galvin has opened up about the dare that left the then-19-year-old paralyzed and clinging to life.
“We were sitting, having a bit of a red wine appreciation night, trying to act as grown-ups and a slug came crawling across,” he said. “The conversation came up: ‘Should I eat it?’ Off Sam went. Bang. That’s how it happened.”
Downward Spiral
Shortly after ingesting the slug, Ballard fell ill and was rushed to a nearby hospital. After a battery of tests, medical professionals revealed that the teen had been infected with rat lungworm, a parasite that is commonly found in snails and slugs that ingest rat feces.
After the infection quickly reached Ballard’s brain, he lapsed into a coma for well over a YEAR (420 days) and was left a quadriplegic.
A Long Three Years
Following Ballard’s initial infection, the young teen was stuck in the hospital for three years of lengthy, taxing recovery.
“When I walked in, he was very very gaunt, and there were cables everywhere–it was a big shock,” said Michael Sheasby, a longtime friend of Ballard’s. Along with losing his mobility, Ballard must be tube fed, suffers from seizures and can not control his body temperature.