YEP Says: A heartbreaking appeal to help prevent tragedy

our hearts go out to the family of Henry Walter, by all accounts a lovable three-year-old who adored life.
Henry WalterHenry Walter
Henry Walter

He was intelligent and bright and could name lots of dinosaurs. So loved was he that he had been rewarded with a sticker for helping to tidy up his nursery school.

But he was taken ill. Within 90 seconds, an ambulance responder arrived and he was rushed to hospital and just 20 minites later his family received the heartbreaking news that he would not survive.

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He had fallen victim to a rare bug which led to meningitis which killed him in 24 hours.

Such terrible news so swiftly delivered. His parents and sister are still coming to terms with their grief four months on. If it was possible for any goodness to come out of such a tragedy it is that his family is determined to stop others going through a similar ordeal.

They are organising an awareness campaign to help other families recognise the extremely rare infection which eventually led to Henry’s death.

There are already tributes planned: a tree in his memory; a number of people running the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for charity in his name; and a number of school events.

But the best tribute to Henry would be if another family was spared such terrible heartache.