A teen ate a slug on a dare and spent 420 days in a coma with permanent brain damage, then told his mom he loved her eight years later

What started as a harmless joke at a garden party turned into a heartbreaking tragedy for Australian teenager Sam Ballard. In 2010, the 19-year-old rugby player accepted a dare from friends and swallowed a live slug during a casual night of drinking and laughter.

At the time, nobody around him could have imagined that the decision would change his life forever. The simple prank led to a rare parasitic infection that left Ballard paralyzed and fighting for his health for years.

According to The Washington Post, Ballard’s final words to his mother before his death in 2018 were: “I love you.” His story remains a shocking reminder of how quickly a small moment of fun can lead to devastating consequences.

The night of fun that became a fight for survival

The incident happened at a Sydney garden party where Ballard was spending time with friends. During the evening, the group noticed a slug nearby and jokingly challenged him to eat it. His friend Jimmy Galvin later explained during an interview with The Project that the group was laughing about the idea before Ballard suddenly went ahead with the dare.

Soon after, Ballard began experiencing severe pain in his legs. He told his mother, Katie, that he believed the slug might be the cause. At first, she did not think it was possible and told him, “No one gets sick from that.”

However, doctors later discovered that Ballard had contracted Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a parasite commonly found in rats. It can spread through slugs and snails that have come into contact with rat droppings.

The infection developed into eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, a serious brain infection that caused Ballard to fall into a coma for 420 days. When he eventually woke up, he had suffered permanent brain damage and was unable to move. He could only control his breathing and eyelids.

For the rest of his life, Ballard needed constant care for basic tasks including eating and using the bathroom. He died in 2018 at the age of 28, eight years after the night that changed everything.

Despite the devastating outcome, his mother never blamed his friends for what happened. She defended them against criticism and said they were simply teenagers having fun together. Katie also questioned why people expected his friends to take responsibility for an accident that had already taken away her son’s health and future.

She continued to stand by Jimmy Galvin and the others, saying their friendship was not defined by one terrible moment. Ballard’s story has remained a powerful warning about the unexpected dangers that can come from a simple dare.