'I wasn't allowed to give him a kiss goodbye' - Shrewsbury mum whose teen son died of meningitis warns of dangers after UK outbreak
A Shrewsbury mum who lost her teenage son to meningitis wants schools to do more to help spot the warning signs early - after an outbreak of the illness at a university left two young people dead.
Michael Panitz, aged 17, felt ill after working a shift at Nando's in Old Potts Way, and his mum Hayley Ellis thought he had picked up a bug or food poisoning.
But Michael, a former Belvidere School pupil who lived in Harlescott, deteriorated quickly and within 20 minutes of Hayley rushing home from work, paramedics told her there was nothing that could be done to save him. Michael died on November 23, 2024.
Hayley said that the outbreak of meningitis in Kent had brought back memories. Thousands of young people have been vaccinated after two people died.
She said: “He said he was feeling sick on his way home from work. I said just get yourself home and get some rest.
“He wasn’t himself. He went to bed. I went into his room the next morning at about 11.30am. He was cold and he had a purple rash on his forehead.
“I went to work and told them my son’s not very well and I might have to go home. Then I had a message from his stepdad saying he was on the phone to 999 and I’d better get home.
“There were three paramedic vehicles and an air ambulance. They were doing CPR. Neighbours were helping, but there was nothing they could do.”
Hayley added: “In the chapel of rest I wasn’t even allowed to give him a kiss goodbye. Everyone who went to see him had to have an antibiotic.”
Michael, who also went to Wilfred Owen Primary School, was training to be a bricklayer at Shrewsbury College’s London Road campus. He was working part time at Nando’s and had just finished his second shift.
He was also due to get baptised a matter of days after his death.
“He was very outgoing,” Hayley said. “He had lots of friends. He was very good with kids. He was a lovely lad.”
The charity Meningitis Now says: “Meningitis can affect anyone at any time, but teenagers and young people are more likely to carry the bacteria that causes meningitis in the back of their throats – up to 1 in 4 people in the age group carry meningitis-causing bacteria, compared with 1 in 10 in the general population.
“This combined with young people coming together from all over the country, often in cramped living conditions and away from home for the first time, makes first year university students particularly at risk for meningitis.”
Since Michael’s death, Hayley has been keen to raise awareness of the dangers of meningitis, and believes schools should be encouraging older children to take their health more seriously and tell an adult if they have concerns.
She said: “I want young people to be able to say if something feels wrong. And I’d like to see more vaccines available.
“At universities they have a tent up at fresher’s week for people to have the jab. Some people have to pay £200 for two jabs though so I’d like it to be free.”
Meningitis Now also says: “It’s vital that young people know how to recognise the signs and symptoms of meningitis in teenagers and young adults.
“If someone is ill and getting worse at uni, sound the alarm by calling their GP or NHS 111 straight away.
“The temptation might be to think they have Covid-19, a hangover, freshers flu or a stomach bug. But it could be meningitis. Meningitis is a medical emergency, so it's vital to act fast and seek urgent medical assistance.”
To learn more about meningitis, visit meningitisnow.org/
