Parents Turn Grief into Action After 4-Year-Old Son D**s from Meningitis
A heartbroken couple is turning unimaginable pain into purpose. After losing their 4-year-old son, Jaxon, to meningococcal disease, Sammy and John Knowles are raising awareness and funding for meningitis research.
A Miracle Child Gone Too Soon
Jaxon Knowles, born in July 2020 in Sheffield, England, was his parents’ “miracle baby.” After seven years of trying, five rounds of IVF, and three miscarriages, Sammy and John had nearly given up hope. But Jaxon changed everything.
“We wanted him for so long,” Sammy told Yorkshire Live. “Every birthday was over the top—petting zoos, circus rides. We even went to Lapland at Christmas.”
Sudden Illness After a Family Trip
The Knowles family had just returned from a weekend in Blackpool on February 16 when Jaxon complained of pain under his arm and a tummy ache.
He always asked to sleep in my bed when he wasn’t feeling well,” Sammy said. “He often got chest infections, so I gave him Calpol. It kept his temperature down, and we thought it was nothing serious.”
That night, Sammy stayed up until 2 a.m. caring for her son. When she woke up again at 5 a.m. to check on him, she noticed a rash.
“At first, I thought it was chickenpox,” she recalled. “But when I turned on the lamp, I saw how bad it really was—it looked like burst veins.”
A Rapid Decline
Jaxon suddenly vomited, and his mouth began to swell. The Knowleses called emergency services, who instructed them to lay Jaxon on the floor and count his breaths.
“It felt like an eternity,” Sammy said. “Only in the ambulance were we told 15 nurses and doctors were waiting in ICU. That’s when we first heard the word ‘meningitis.’ I hadn’t heard about it in years.”
At the hospital, Jaxon’s condition worsened. His rash turned purple, and he began bl*eding from his eyes. His parents sang his favorite lullabies, clinging to hope.
Doctors briefly restarted his heart, but Jaxon d**d the morning of February 17.
What Is Meningococcal Disease?
Meningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that affects the brain and spinal cord lining. According to the CDC, it causes dangerous swelling and can be fatal. The charity Meningitis Now reports that 10% of cases result in d**th, even with treatment.
Keeping Jaxon’s Legacy Alive
In the wake of their loss, the Knowles family created the Jaxon Knowles Forever Fund, raising over £13,000 (around $17,000) for Meningitis Now.
“There was no vaccine available for Jax,” Sammy said. “But with more funding and more research, that could change.”
Now, the couple hopes their story will save others.
“The house is quiet. There’s a massive void,” Sammy added. “But if we can help just one family, that’s something.”