Meningitis may have killed Kaplan man

Friends and family are mourning the loss of 20-year-old Brigg Gary from Kaplan who passed away Friday morning of possible meningitis.

Gary died in a Lafayette hospital Friday at 4 a.m. after arriving at the hospital at 7 p.m. Thursday. He was rushed to the Lafayette hospital from the Kaplan hospital Thursday evening.

Funeral services are Sunday at 2 p.m. at Vincent Funeral Home in Kaplan.

He leaves behind a two-year-old son, Brayden Dale Gary, and his parents Shelton and Dana Gary of Kaplan.

“He was a good kid,” said Dana. “Very responsible. He loved sports - hunting, fishing and playing golf. He and his dad went see the Dallas Cowboys recently.”

Brigg had been battling the flu the last two weeks and looked to have beaten it until Thursday morning.

Brigg woke up Thursday morning throwing up, running fever and complaining of being cold.

His mother said he was complaining that his legs and knees were burning like fire and when he tried to stand up, he fell. His blood pressure was a low 50/30. His girlfriend then rushed him to the hospital in Kaplan.

When he arrived, his skin began having blue blotches all over his face. Blood tests showed his platelets were extremely low.

He was then rushed to Lafayette’s Regional Medical Center by Acadian Ambulance.

“He was talking with his dad on the way to the hospital,” said Dana. “He was joking with his dad.”

But things took a turn for the worse when he arrived in Lafayette. She said his breathing began to get fast and the blue bruises began to spread throughout his body. His kidneys were also shutting down, she said.

The doctors sedated him and gave him medication to try to kill the infection, but it was too late.

In the nine hours he was at the hospital, Dana said he coded six times.

Doctors told Brigg’s parents that early indications are that the 20-year-old died of Invasive Sepsis Meningitis. Meningococcal Meningitis attacks the brain and the spinal cord fluid. Sepsis Meningitis is found in the blood. Dana said doctors said Briggs could have contracted Sepsis Meningitis in the air, so it is impossible to pinpoint where he got it, she added.

Dr. Tina Stefanaksi, the Medical Director for the region, could not confirm if Briggs did die due to meningitis because of HIPPA laws. But she did say that her department is looking into a Sepsis Meningitis case in the region (Acadiana area) but would not name the parish.

Dana said her son attended LSU-E in 2009 and had a chance get the meningitis vaccine at LSU-E but refused the shot.

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