Chance Peniongo: Echuca came down with a headache at school. Six days later, he was dead after contracting acute necrotising encephalitis

A grieving mother opens up about the sudden death of her youngest child, hoping no other parent has to go through the same nightmare.

For Chance Peniongo, 13, June 20 started like any other day: he left for school in Echuca in northern Victoria.

A few hours later, his mother, Regina Rose, picked him up from school because he began complaining of a headache.

He ate and watched a movie before falling asleep on the couch.

Early the next morning, Chance began experiencing seizures and was rushed to a local hospital, where he was diagnosed with influenza A.

The first-grader’s condition deteriorated rapidly over the course of several hours before he was airlifted to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne in a coma.

That night, his family learned that Chance had contracted acute necrotizing encephalitis, a rare brain disease that occurs after a viral infection. Scans showed no brain activity.

Chance never regained consciousness and died six days later, surrounded by his loved ones.

Regina Rose (pictured with her son Chance) doesn’t want other parents to go through the same nightmare after losing her youngest son.

Nearly two months later, Mrs. Rose is still struggling with the loss of Chance.

“It’s still sinking in – it’s not there yet,” she said Seven news.

“It’s still a shock to see how a flu, or something like that, took him down so quickly.”

She openly shares Chance’s ordeal to raise awareness about the rare condition, in the hope that research will save more lives.

“I could tell right away something was wrong,” Mrs. Rose recalls.

‘There was a big difference between him that morning and him during the lunch break.

‘I didn’t know much about influenza A, but it didn’t explain the attacks.

‘I did not get it.’

Chance was the youngest of five children, had recently become an uncle, and adored his nephews.

“He loved children and babies,” his mother recalled.

“(He) loved to talk to everybody. He could get along with everybody.”

the day after he complained of a headache, Chance was in a coma and was flown to Melbourne

Chance, the youngest of five children, had a big heart and a smile that would light up any room

Flu cases in Victoria have quadrupled in recent months, while emergency department visits have increased sixfold.

Australians can protect themselves by getting vaccinated against the flu, according to Melbourne GP Aadhil Aziz.

a fundraising was set up to help with ambulance and funeral expenses, helping to ease the financial burden on Chance’s family. The family described the teen as an angel and a diamond in the rough who lit up every room he walked into.

“He had a big heart and always sensed when others were sad and did his best to cheer them up,” the page reads.

‘It didn’t matter if you were young or old – if he felt you were down, he would do his best to make you laugh!’

He was very popular at school and entertained all his classmates. Teachers said that when he won a prize, the other children would cheer him on as he gave them a tap, and that all the children would give him a high five as he walked by.

“He’d notice the random kid at camp and start a conversation and decide, ‘We’re going to be friends today.’ He didn’t like anyone being left out.”