Amoeba entered 14-year-old Michael Riley’s nose while swimming in a lake north of Houston with his cross country team on August 13, AP reports. Michael Riley Jr.’s family says he developed a headache and became disoriented after the swimming. He was taken to the hospital where he was diagnosed with Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (men-ingo-in-Sephalite-us).
The amoeba entered his nasal passages and made its way into his brain. Riley’s cousin Jennifer Hohman said in a statement that he was taken to Texas Children’s Hospital and placed in a medically induced coma until tests proved he had lost all brain function and couldn’t breathe without support. The hospital disconnected the ventilator Sunday. Hohman confirmed that he died.
Michael competed in the Junior Olympics three times and was due to start high school this year.
AP
