Man Dies 8 Years After a Dare to Eat a Slug Turns Fatal

Years after a challenge to eat a slug took a disastrous turn, a young man called Sam Ballard tragically died in 2018. The 2010 dare, which was devised by friends, exposed the grave dangers of parasites associated to slugs and resulted in a fatal parasitic infection.

Sam Ballard, a 19-year-old Australian from Sydney, was having a laid-back evening with friends in 2010. The mood changed when a slug showed up as they were sharing a bottle of wine. According to his friend Jimmy, “a slug crawled past us while we were trying to act like adults on a red wine night.” “When the topic of “should I eat it?” came up, Sam took it.
For some people, eating slugs would just cause a slight upset stomach, but Ballard’s experience was far worse. After experiencing a string of health issues that would ultimately lead to his death, the once-promising rugby star encountered life-altering difficulties, including losing the ability to walk.

Ballard got rat lungworm, a parasite that is frequently found in slugs. His condition rapidly deteriorated after he initially experienced extreme weakness and agony in his legs. His life was in serious danger after he had meningitis and went into a 420-day coma.

Sam’s life was forever altered by the time he eventually awoke from the coma. He was disabled as a result of the illness spreading to his brain. He needed 24-hour care since basic activities like eating and using the restroom became impossible without help. Until his death in 2018 at the age of 29, his mother, Katie Ballard, dedicated her life to his care. Just before he died, Sam showed his mother how much he loved her and passed away surrounded by family.
Katie Ballard does not hold Sam’s pals responsible for the situation, even if it ended tragically. She understands that friends occasionally push one another to engage in dangerous activities. Sam’s story is meant to act as a warning to others not to handle or consume slugs. To avoid any possible parasite infection, adequate handwashing should be done after coming into contact with slugs.

It is crucial to avoid eating raw or undercooked mollusks and to carefully check vegetables for tiny slugs that might be concealed in order to lower the risk of catching parasites like rat lungworm. Angiostrongyliasis, paragonimiasis, and fascioliasis are further slug-related illnesses that can seriously harm organs like the brain, intestines, and bile tract. Infertility and immune system problems might also result from these infections.