29-year-old Brent died of the flu in 2019. Getting vaccinated was on his to-do list. It’s still not too late to get the flu shot.
Jeb Teichman, M.D.
Pediatrician, Board Member and Medical Advisor, Families Fighting Flu
Like every parent, I worry about my kids, even as they become adults. Our family has always been very focused on health. I’m a retired pediatrician, and my wife is a nurse. We always prioritized vaccination, including an annual flu shot.
My son Brent was a typical 29-year-old guy — a healthy, successful chef with a busy work and social life. We talked often, and I regularly reminded him about getting his flu vaccine. It was on his to-do list, but he hadn’t gotten to it yet.
In late October 2019, Brent was exposed to someone with flu-like symptoms, and days later, he became sick. My wife and I were out of town, or we would have told him to seek treatment immediately. On day seven of his sickness, he went to urgent care. He came home and went to sleep. Four hours later, Brent’s roommate and cousin — my nephew — called us to say he couldn’t get Brent to wake up. We stayed on the phone with him as the ambulance crew tried to revive him. I can still hear the voices of the first responders and the beeps of the machines they were using to try and save his life. Despite those valiant efforts, my Brent succumbed to influenza.
A wake-up call for everyone
My wife and I have worked to turn Brent’s death into action, encouraging others to get vaccinated and sharing our story to remind everyone that the flu does not discriminate. Yes, influenza threatens the very old, the very young, and the immunocompromised more than the rest of us. However, when a healthy, young, vibrant person like Brent loses his life to the flu, that should be a wake-up call for everyone. Brent is not alone. The current flu season is like none we’ve seen in more than a dozen years. Cases are surging, hospitals are at capacity, and as of February 15, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 19,000 Americans have died of the flu so far in the 2024-25 season. That includes at least 86 pediatric deaths.
This does not have to happen. The flu shot is not perfect — no vaccine is — but it can help you stay out of the hospital and from becoming seriously ill with the flu. If you haven’t been vaccinated this year, please do so as soon as possible. It is not too late. Flu season is not expected to slow down for the next few months. Everyone aged 6 months and older is recommended to get the annual flu shot. My colleagues and I at Families Fighting Flu do not want to add another family story to the already too-long list of loved ones lost to influenza.
