NEWS

Michigan Teacher of the Year loses 6-year-old son to flu

Daniel Bethencourt, and Kat Stafford
Detroit Free Press

In the span of two days in January, Melody Arabo’s husband and three children all fell seriously ill.

Ashton Arabo, 6, died of flu-related symptoms Jan. 25.

In the following days they all recovered — except her six-year-old son Ashton, whose condition grew worse with high fever, pneumonia symptoms and a rash. The kindergartner from West Bloomfield was taken to an intensive care unit.

After a prolonged battle in critical condition, he was pronounced dead on Jan. 25. The cause was complications from flu.

Ashton may have been Michigan’s first pediatric flu-related death this year, though that could not be confirmed. Oakland County Health officials on Tuesday made an announcement to that effect, but did not identify the child.

Arabo declined to say whether Ashton had been vaccinated, saying she did not want to influence other parents in their decision.

“My heart goes out to the family,” said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson in the statement. “This tragedy reminds us that influenza can be a very serious illness, especially in young children.”

Arabo's loss of her son comes less than two years after she was named Michigan Teacher of the Year in May 2014. Arabo is a third-grade teacher in the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, and Ashton attended Keith Elementary.

In the days when Ashton was in critical condition, Arabo said she was overwhelmed by hundreds of acts of kindness from strangers, from small gestures to a prayer vigil that filled St. Thomas Church with over 600 people.

Melody Arabo, 35, of West Bloomfield, Michigan

Since her son's passing, Arabo is in the process of creating a nonprofit, Ashton's Miracle Foundation, that will seek to pay back acts of kindness to others. She is raising money for the foundation through a GoFundMe page, which has so far gathered more than $50,000 for the cause.

“What got us through that terrible time were the acts of kindness from others,” she said, adding that the response “is way beyond anything we ever expected. It just shows that in tragedy people come together.”

The OCHD recommends everyone over the age of 6 months receive an influenza vaccination, according to the release, which states that those who are at a higher risk of flu complications ― children younger than 5 years old, pregnant women, older adults, and those with chronic medical conditions ― should especially get a flu shot and take preventative actions.

“I urge everyone who is able to get a flu shot to protect themselves and those around them,” said George Miller, director of Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services, in a statement. “You can help prevent the flu by washing your hands, covering your cough, and staying home when sick.”

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The flu virus can be spread to others as far as six feet away, mainly by droplets made when people with the flu cough, sneeze or talk. A person may also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has flu virus on it and then touching their own eyes, nose or mouth.

Flu shots in Oakland County are available at Health Division offices in Pontiac and Southfield from noon–8 p.m. Mondays and 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Walk-in clients are welcome. Flu shots cost $25. The high-dose flu shot recommended for those 65 years and older is $37 and is covered by Medicare. Individuals interested in getting a flu shot can also pay online and register at www.oakgov.com/health.

Contact Daniel Bethencourt: 313-223-4531 or dbethencourt@freepress.com. Follow on Twitter @_dbethencourt.