We all know at least one person who takes any challenge way too seriously. It becomes a matter of reputation when someone dares them. Be it eating some weird sort of dish we ourselves will never eat or be it spending the night in the so-called haunted bungalow, they'll be ready to do anything once provoked. Trust us they won't hesitate to jump off the balcony if said.
Such moments become unforgettable memories and make into our happy list while growing up. Not always do such dares end interestingly rather it might turn into something risky. Sam Ballard became a victim of one such horrible incident that took place. This one incident changed not only Sam's life but also his family and friends' lives.
In 2010, 19-year-old Sam Ballard, an Australian native took a friendly challenge too seriously and his life too lightly. He was a promising rugby player and was spending one afternoon with his teammates. They had days like that one before as well, where the entire team sat together, watched their favorite matches, got drunk and had fun. Sounds like a perfect summer afternoon with friends, right?
They all gathered at Jimmy Galvin's, one of their teammate whose parents weren't home. The group had a valid enough reason to celebrate. That afternoon was a little special though because the teammates were watching footage of the recent match they won on their home stadium. Sam even had a bottle of red wine to celebrate their win.
It was a session full of criticization, appreciation, and leg pulling. Glasses full of wine and faces glowing with smiles was their definition of fun. By the time they were done with the match tape, they were already a little drunk. And a discussion started that led them to dare each other. It was that good time which wasn't going to last for too long.
In the heat of the moment, their conversation turned into a fun crazy game. All of a sudden "the dare game" started. It wasn't a random game but one of the guys noticed a weird looking creature that made him start this game by daring Sam. Being completely aware of Sam's nature, this daring game felt normal to everyone.
One of the friends noticed a big size slug was reaching towards the inside door of the common area. Out of nowhere, a little buzzed Sam asked his friends what would they think of him eating that slug. Everyone was drunk enough by then that not even a single person in the room suggested the risks of such action. It was one funny idea everyone agreed on.
The suggestion turned into reality as Sam took the large slug in his hands and swallowed it. And everyone hooted in support for their crazy friend. At that moment it became one thrilling story that they would tell everyone. They assumed it to be the end of this story while it was just the beginning.
Jimmy recalled, “We were sitting, having a bit of a red wine appreciation night, trying to act as grown-ups and a slug came crawling across. The conversation came up, 'Should I eat it?' Off Sam went. Bang. That's how it happened.”
As days passed, this incident became famous among the teammates' families and friends. Everyone was still listening about Sam's action with loads of laughs and unbelievable reactions. While it was one hot burning topic for everyone who knew Sam, on the other hand, Sam started to feel sickly.
A couple of days after Sam ate the Slug, he started feeling pain in his legs. With days, the pain became worse enough that it became hard for Sam to walk. Katie Ballard, his mother took him to the hospital. Sam was worried if it were all symptoms of eating a Slug when his mother said, “No-one gets sick from that.”
Doctors took Sam's blood sample and conducted several tests. However, they couldn't tell the exact reason behind Sam's pain. Katie insisted that it couldn't be because of a slug, unfortunately, Sam's gut feeling was about to be proven right.
When doctors finally zeroed in on what disease Sam was suffering from, it was too late. Sam was suffering from eosinophilic meningitis and it started to affect his nervous system. There was nothing that they could have done about it as the disease already had started to erode his brain.
The parasites that reside inside slugs can cause headaches, high fevers, muscle aches, and skin allergies. However, Sam's case was completely different as his symptoms weren't ordinary. So far, Sam's case is one of the worst cases to be recorded with the impact of eating a slug.
The slug that Sam ate caused him to lose his ability to walk. Within a week, he fell into a coma. His mother was hopeful for her son's recovery but his health kept on deteriorating. Sam was in a coma for more than a year and his friends were taken by deep regret because of all that had happened.
Sam's friend's who were present in the unfateful party could not bear the guilt of not stopping him from eating that slug. Even one of their advice could have saved Sam but no one suggested the right thing and it resulted in their aspiring rugby champ friend getting bedridden unconscious.
After lying on the same bed for 420 days, Sam opened his eyes and found his friends and family on his side. He didn't even realize that he skipped a year and half of his life in a coma. And yet the nightmare was still far from being over for the young man.
Everyone was holding their breath to see if Sam will be normal or not. The doctors took all the tests and later informed the family about the heartbreaking news. As if 420 days of unconsciousness weren't enough that Sam had even worse news waiting for him.
Sam's complete body was paralyzed, and he wasn't even allowed to go home. He was under 24*7 observation of doctors. Years passed in the hospital and it started to look like Sam's home. His friends and family came to see him every day while his mother stayed in the hospital with him.
After staying in the hospital for two years. Sam was finally discharged by the hospital. “While doctors had managed to save him in time, he was now confined to a wheelchair, with limited communication skills, and needing 24 hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week care,” explained an interviewer.
Sam was regularly spending hours in physical therapy in a hope to get his nerve back to normal. Sadly, he was still losing the race to the parasite that was always a step ahead of him. He was aware of his condition but his sportsman spirit spirit never allowed him to give up.
“When I walked in, he was very, very gaunt … and there were cables everywhere. It was a big shock,” recalled his friend Michael Sheasby. All his friends kept Sam motivated with the fact that they wanted him to get back on his feet soon and play with them someday.
"Sam is doing really well. He is still the same cheeky Sam, and laughs a lot. He will walk and talk again (thank god) but the time factor is was we don't know," mentioned Katie Ballard on her social media page. She further added how this incident changed his life: "It's devastated, changed his life forever, changed my life forever. It's huge. The impact is huge."
Sam and his mother never blamed his friends for what happened on that day. In fact, his mother tried to cheer up the boys who were guilt-ridden. She knew that's how teens are and she took this incident as an unfortunate day and not to blame someone for it.
Sam's friend started to take him out for all the sports events. After all, everyone was well aware of his interest and passion for sports. They didn't give Sam one reason to feel like an odd one out. In fact, he was always the soul and heart of all the events.
Sam's face used to light up seeing his friends. His friends recalled: “It made his day.” His mother once gave a little explanation on what it was like to be with him after the coma. She stated on Social media: “Physios had Sam standing in the frame at the gym. He spent the afternoon laughing at me as I read him the sports section of the newspaper with new glasses on. Told him it was the stress of the last 16 months that had affected my eyesight.”
Sam's hospital bill was too much to afford and his mother took the help of the National Disability Insurance Program in 2016. The Australian government approved the request and the family received half a million dollars for future assistance. However, it was too late by the time her request was granted.
For 8 years, Sam survived the pain and countless medical treatments. He outlived than what the doctors thought. He was happy with his friends and family but by the time the financial assistance reached him, the matter was out of everyone's hands.
Sam's struggle finally ended in November 2018. “We have some sad news for you now. Earlier this year we brought you the story of Sam Ballard who, on a dare from his mates, ate a slug. He contracted rat lung disease with devastating effects,” Lisa Wilkinson, a reporter told. She even told his last words.
“His friends have stuck by him ever since. On Friday, Sam passed away, surrounded by his family and loyal, loving mates. His last words to his mum: ‘I love you’,” added Wilkinson. His mother's dream to see his son walk again will never be fulfilled.
Ever since Sam was discharged from the hospital, he tried his best to recover. He underwent physiotherapy for hours on a daily basis. To be able to walk again was his sole wish. His mother too always motivated him.
Although Sam left the world at the age of 28. His friends never get tired of remembering. They still keep him alive in their conversations. And remind people about how little pranks can turn serious.