'We Got Lucky': 6-Year-Old Coventry Girl Recovering From EEE

COVENTRY, RI — The Coventry community has come together in support of a young girl battling a deadly mosquito-borne illness. Six-year-old Star Jackman is on the road to recovery after being diagnosed with Eastern equine encephalitis, her family said Tuesday.

Star is the third Rhode Islander to be diagnosed with the illness this summer. Earlier this year, a West Warwick man in his 50s died after contracting the illness. This week, a Charleston resident also contracted the virus.

Star's father, Reggie Jackman, said the illness started quietly. On Aug. 30, just two days into the new school year, she came home complaining of a headache. Over the course of the weekend, her symptoms worsened when she developed a fever and started vomiting. That Sunday, Jackman and his wife, Jessica, brought their daughter to a nearby walk-in clinic and she was immediately sent to Hasbro Children's Hospital in an ambulance.

For more than a week, Star remained in the hospital as doctors worked to find out what was wrong.

"They couldn't figure out what it was," Jackman said.

Eventually, she was diagnosed with EEE, which caused viral meningitis, leading to swelling in her brain. For a few days, it was touch-and-go, with Star's heart rate dropping dangerously low.

"We could have lost her," he said. "We got lucky."

After a few days, Star's health took a sudden turn for the better. On Sept. 10, she was released from the hospital and has been healing ever since.

The illness affected Star's motor skills and memory. Every day, she works with occupational and physical therapists. While she is improving, it's impossible to say when or if she will fully recover.

"It could last a few days, a month or the rest of her life," Jackman said. "We just don't know."

For now, Star is still out of school. Besides her physical limitations, she sometimes suffers from seizures and tires easily.

"Her school has been wonderful," Jackman said. "They set her up with a tutor so she can keep up."

Throughout their time at the hospital, the Coventry community has been incredibly supportive, Jackman said. Friends set up a lemonade fundraiser and a GoFundMe page, which to date has raised $5,870, far exceeding its $100 goal.

"The firefighters and EMTs who brought Star to the hospital came to the fundraiser, which was great," Jackman said. "Everyone has been so kind. Even the school put together a care basket with gift cards and stuff like that."

The hospital staff was incredible, Jackman said, providing the best standard of care and support for his daughter.

Because their family is "always outside," Jackman said he isn't sure when exactly Star was bitten by the infected mosquito.

"We always use bug spray, but it still happened," he said. "To other parents, I say: definitely use a lot of bug spray!"

DEM and the Department of Health do not have plans for any additional spraying as of Wednesday, though the departments are discussing possible further steps. All three EEE patients, including Star, contracted the illness before spraying occurred, RIDOH said.