'Absolutely heartbroken': Family speak out after man dies of meningococcal

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains images of a person who is deceased.

The 36-year-old was in the prime of his life, which was cut devastatingly short at the hands of the deadly bacteria.

His older sister, Tania Wingfield, told 9News the loss had left the family devastated.

“Just absolutely heartbroken,” she said.

“It’s a disease that is absolutely devastating to families.”

He was taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital from his Ferryden Park home on Tuesday morning.

Tania said his initial symptoms appeared to be flu-like with the family hopeful the 36-year-old would soon bounce back.

“He looked after himself, he was into fitness, he ate well, he didn’t smoke, he didn’t do drugs,” she said.

When Luke rapidly took a turn for the worse, his family rushed from Port Augusta to be by his side, but by Wednesday night he was dead.

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“My brother was such a beautiful person, he was really kind-hearted and he’d do anything for anybody,” Tania told 9News

There have been 16 cases of the disease so far this year, surpassing the total of 14 recorded all of last year.

“Meningococcol has a huge impact every year, where there’s a number of cases which leads to hospitalisations which sadly leads to deaths,” SA Health Minister Chris Picton said.

The vaccine for the B strain has been free in SA for some groups of people since 2018 but is available to others who want it.

“Whether you think it’s not serious or not, please, please get help, because I wouldn’t want this, wish this upon anybody,” Tania said.

Oren Klemich lost his 18-year-old son Jack to the disease 14 years ago.

He says the vaccination is a necessary protection, as often symptoms develop so fast there’s little time to act.

“I guarantee if you’re unlucky enough for one of your children to get meningococcal, you’ll only wish they were vaccinated, it’s a horrible disease,” Klemich told 9News.