TORONTO -- A 26-year-old Ontario woman died after contracting dengue fever while attending a friend鈥檚 destination wedding in Jamaica.
Jodie Dicks from Toronto, Ont., contracted a severe case of dengue fever while attending her friend鈥檚 destination wedding in Jamaica. After spending a few days in a Jamaican hospital, she was flown to a Florida medical centre, where she suffered two heart attacks and died in her mother's arms on Jan. 26.
鈥淚t is devastating and we鈥檙e in shock. It was like a nightmare,鈥� her stepmother Kay Dicks said in a phone interview with CTVNews.ca.
Jodie had just paid off her new car, bought a condominium, was ready to marry the love of her life, Kerrian Walker, and have children of her own, Dicks said.
The family said no one ever used terms like 鈥渟tep-parent鈥� or 鈥渟tep-sibling.鈥� Jodie was a big part of that tight family unity.
鈥淵ou hear people say 鈥榯he sweetest soul鈥� and she truly was,鈥� Jodie鈥檚 stepfather Randy Boissoin told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview. It was common for Jodie to relish being surrounded by her nieces and nephews.
鈥淎t family gatherings, she鈥檇 be out and about -- swimming with three kids on her back, or catching frogs (with them),鈥� Boissoin said, describing how he helped raise her for 20 years. 鈥淪he was that incredible aunt.鈥�
, 鈥淛odie loved being an aunt and accepted this role willingly.鈥�
鈥淪he was an adorable kid. And everybody loved her,鈥� Dicks said. Jodie鈥檚 death 鈥渉as broken the entire family. Broken every single one of us inside.鈥�
JODIE COULDN'T RECOGNIZE HER OWN FRIEND
On Thursday, Jan. 16, Jodie flew with her best friend to Jamaica for the destination wedding. But by Tuesday, the day after the ceremony, her family said Jodie had started feeling unwell.
She began developing a rash, a common symptom of dengue fever, but was told it was likely a heat rash.
Jodie was supposed to leave the following Thursday and had even packed her luggage to go home.
But her condition worsened.
鈥淪he was all confused. She didn鈥檛 know where she was. She didn鈥檛 know who she was,鈥� Dicks said, adding Jodie didn鈥檛 even recognize her childhood friend.
After hearing the news, Jodie鈥檚 stepfather, biological mother and Jodie鈥檚 long-time boyfriend all rushed to Jamaica to be by her side. Her memory of them had faded to the point that she had difficulty remembering them.
Jodie had been receiving blood and plasma transfusions, but Dicks said that because the hospital was running out of blood she had to be moved to a hospital in Florida.
JODIE DIED IN HER MOTHER'S ARMS
Only Jodie鈥檚 biological mother was able to go with her on the emergency medical helicopter. So Jodie's stepfather and boyfriend were forced to wait for another flight in a Jamaican airport.
And after receiving more blood transfusions, Jodie took a turn for the worse and suffered two cardiac arrests. During all the commotion, her mother rushed into the room to hold her.
鈥淎nd she died there with her mother at her side,鈥� Dicks said.
Jodie鈥檚 stepfather said it was heartbreaking not being there.
鈥淔or your daughter to pass away and your wife to be there by herself and you鈥檙e stuck sitting in an airport in Jamaica -- you just can鈥檛 find words for it,鈥� Boissoin said, .
At Jodie鈥檚 memorial service on Feb. 9, approximately 700 people showed up to pay their respects, including officers from Peel Region, York Region and Toronto police. Jodie had worked at Legal Aid Ontario and with Toronto police.
鈥淎ll sides were full. Right through the sidewalk and into the parking lot, there were lines in the streets,鈥� Dicks said of the Oshawa, Ont. service. 鈥淚t went on and on.鈥�
WARNING FOR OTHER FAMILIES
The family is now warning people to take precautions before going to the region and ensure they check travel advisories before leaving Canada.
Dr. Melissa Lem, a Vancouver-based family physician, told CTVNews.ca that the 鈥渄engue vaccine is not available in Canada, but if you manage to get it in another country it's considered about 70 per cent effective.鈥�
She also said people have a stronger chance of . Lem is also suggesting travellers look for warnings from before buying a ticket.
Mosquitos are the primary way the virus is spread, Lem said. Symptoms for dengue fever include a sudden high fever, rash, nausea, swollen glands and pain in the bones, joints and eyes.
鈥淭here are no specific treatments for dengue other than rest, fluids and acetaminophen,鈥� she said, warning people to wear insect repellent, light clothing with long sleeves and long pants.
Dicks said she doesn鈥檛 want this to happen to other families.
鈥淲e were shocked. We never heard about it [dengue fever]. A lot of people haven't,鈥� Dicks said. 鈥淭his has to be known so people can know what could happen.鈥�
Infectious disease expert Dr. Neil Rau said travellers often forget about the mosquito risks when they travel to resorts.
鈥淭he advice that travellers receive to prevent malaria, also helps prevent zika virus and dengue virus,鈥� he told CTV National News.
鈥淚 think travellers forget about these risks because they seem relatively minor and infrequent.
鈥淭here is one advantage on resorts and it鈥檚 that air conditioning is readily available and that actually protects you against mosquito-borne disease.鈥�
He added that screened-in porches are also good protection against mosquitoes.
鈥淢any Canadians go down south and they鈥檙e ready to face that risk, it鈥檚 important for people to remember it is out there,鈥� Dr. Rau said.
