- Sonia and Pete went on a campervan trip to celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversay
- After returning, Pete came home from work feeling so unwell Sonia called emergency
- Airlifted to hospital, he later died from mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis
Here Sonia Blackaby, 52, of Tom Price, WA, shares her story in her own words
Cheers!’ my hubby, Pete, then 58, and I beamed as I clinked my glass of red with his beer.
It was April 2023, and we were on a trip in our campervan to celebrate my 50th birthday and our 22nd wedding anniversary.
We’d left our grown-up kids, Tyler, then 24, and Ella, 21, back home.
Our first stop was Eighty Mile Beach, WA.
Next we made our way to Broome, then up the coast to the Dampier Peninsula, stopping at Cygnet Bay, before travelling by seaplane to see the Horizontal Waterfalls in the Kimberley.
Now, after heading back south again, we were watching the sun set over Eighty Mile Beach as we reminisced about the last three weeks of adventures.
With Pete working away as a quarry manager in the mines, and me a laboratory operator, shift work meant we often went days without seeing each other. So it was wonderful to spend so much quality time together.
That night as dusk fell and I felt the familiar itch of mozzies swarming, I applied repellent over my arms and legs.
I always get smashed, I thought, swatting the critters away.
Thankfully, Pete, who was fishing, didn’t seem to attract them.
Back home in Tom Price, we settled back into our work routine.
Two days later Pete arrived home from work. But, stumbling in the front door, his face looked grey and he was sweaty and disorientated.
‘I’m just really tired. I need to sit and have some water,’ he said, explaining he had a headache and had started feeling ill on the drive home.
I suggested we go to the hospital, but Pete refused.
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Within half an hour, he was struggling to focus or follow directions.
Worried, I called emergency services. Ambos arrived 10 minutes later and transported us to Tom Price Hospital.
There, doctors administered emergency antiviral, antibiotic and anti-seizure medication.
But it did little to help Pete, whose temperature had spiked to 42 degrees.
When Ella came to visit, Pete’s eyes lit up. ‘Shorty,’ he whispered, using his nickname for our girl.
Doctors administered emergency antiviral, antibiotic and anti-seizure medication
He’s still in there, I teared up.
When his condition worsened, he was airlifted to Hedland Health hospital, where they were better equipped to run more tests.
Unable to go in the Royal Flying Doctor Service plane, I raced home to pack an overnight bag, before driving the four and a half hours to meet him.
‘We think Pete has meningitis or encephalitis,’ one of the doctors said when I arrived. ‘It can be deadly,’ they said.
While we waited for test results, Pete’s condition deteriorated significantly. He was confused and hallucinating, so doctors sedated Pete to keep him comfortable.
A few hours later Pete was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital for specialist care.
I hadn’t wanted to worry Tyler, who lived in Perth, but now I rang him on my way to the airport.
He then collected me from Perth airport, and I filled him in.
By the time we arrived at Pete’s side, he’d been put into an induced coma.
Holding his hand, I prayed he’d survive.
I prayed he’d survive
‘Pete is suffering from Murray Valley encephalitis (MVE),’ the doctor said five days later, after getting test results, explaining it was a mosquito-borne virus.
‘I’m afraid there’s no treatment or vaccine. It’s unlikely Pete will survive.’
He must’ve been bitten by a mozzie on our trip…
Pete’s brain was swelling, and his internal organs were shutting down. I was heartbroken.
Docs brought Pete out of his coma one week later, but, heartbreakingly, he wasn’t able to breathe on his own, and his brain injury had left him a quadriplegic. But there were signs of hope.
‘If you can hear us, raise your eyebrows,’ I begged.
To everyone’s surprise, Pete raised his eyebrows.
Devastatingly, though, an MRI three weeks later revealed tragic news.
‘Pete has severe brain damage – there’s nothing more we can do for him,’ the neurologist said gently.
How was I supposed to imagine a future without Pete?
For the next two weeks, family and friends flew in to say goodbye.
I spent every waking minute with Pete.
And I played fishing, football and moto GP videos for him to listen to.
Heartbreakingly, Pete never regained any quality of life and I knew that he wouldn’t want to live this way.
I talked to him constantly, reminiscing about our years together.
Speaking with our kids, we made the gut-wrenching decision to turn off Pete’s life support.
‘I love you,’ I whispered, squeezing his hand as I watched his eyes close for the last time.
I couldn’t believe a mozzie had stolen my husband.
Two weeks later on June 15, we held Pete’s celebration of life with family and friends.
‘Come and have a frothy with Pete,’ we said, handing out stubby holders with Gone Fishing on them.
Two years on, this May, the kids and I returned to Pete’s fishing spot on Eighty Mile Beach to celebrate his 60th birthday and scatter his ashes.
Now I’m warning others of the dangers of mosquito-borne viruses and the importance of wearing DEET-based repellents.
Travelling in our caravan when I can, I’ve made it my mission to share Pete’s story far and wide.
I’ve made it my mission to share Pete’s story far and wide
Partnering with the WA government, I am a proud advocate for the ‘Fight the bite’ campaign.
Since teaming up, the government has rolled out free insect repellent kits, and a series of videos sharing Pete’s story, to help raise awareness in high risk community groups.
Tyler, now 26, and Ella, 23, are so proud of what I’ve achieved.
I know Pete would be too.
If I can stop one family going through what my family did, it’s worth it.
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