What began as a simple family holiday ended in heartbreak for the Knowles family, whose four-year-old son, Jaxon, tragically lost his life just hours after appearing to have a mild illness. Now, his grieving parents are turning their pain into purpose, determined to raise awareness about the hidden danger that claimed their child’s life.
Sammy and Jordan Knowles had taken their only son on a short trip to Blackpool, hoping to enjoy a few days of laughter and create lasting memories. But upon their return home on Sunday, February 16, things took a sudden, terrifying turn. What started as what seemed like a minor discomfort soon spiraled into a medical emergency they couldn’t have anticipated.
“Jaxon was complaining about pain under his arm, then fell asleep,” Sammy recounted. “When he woke up, he said his tummy hurt.” The signs didn’t seem alarming at first — just another chest infection, something Jaxon had experienced before. Sammy gave him a small dose of paracetamol and let him sleep beside her, as she often did when he wasn’t feeling well. But at 5 a.m., everything changed.
Using her phone’s flashlight, she checked on him and noticed something on his skin. “I thought it might be chickenpox at first,” she said. But when she turned on the light, she realized the rash was far more severe than anything she had seen before.