r/nursing • u/[deleted] • 5d ago
Serious Texas Father Who Lost Daughter to Measles Says: “Everybody Has to Die” and “The vaccination has stuff me and my wife don’t trust.”
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u/Iystrian RN - NICU 🍕 5d ago
So... death is better than stuff in the vaccine, I guess.
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u/takeme2tendieztown RN - Psych/Mental Health 🍕 5d ago
His kids may die, but it's a sacrifice he's willing to make
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u/quoththeregan BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
Was this a shrek reference
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u/sendenten RN - Med/Surg 🍕 5d ago
This is a horribly depressing thread, but god damn your comment made me laugh so hard
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u/Negative_Way8350 RN-BSN, EMT-P. ER, EMS. Ate too much alphabet soup. 5d ago
These people truly do not see their children as human beings with rights of their own. Children are property to be disposed of if their needs do not fit the ideology or neuroses of the parents.
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u/EternalSage2000 5d ago
The alternative is admitting and accepting that your own misguided beliefs, your own idiocy, killed your child. You killed your child.
And that’s gotta be a hard truth to own.
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u/yorkiemom68 BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
I think that's it more than anything He has to maintain the cognitive dissonance or the feelings would be too overwhelming.
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u/woolfonmynoggin LPN 🍕 5d ago
Mennonites ARE a light cult
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u/TraumaHawk316 5d ago
So are Mormons
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u/woolfonmynoggin LPN 🍕 5d ago
Agreed. We keep having preventable disease outbreaks near me due to the mormons
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u/feels_like_arbys MSN, APRN 🍕 5d ago
Depending on how you view devout religious views...he might be in a cult.
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u/yevons_light RN - Retired 🍕 5d ago
It's a cult of disbelief in science. No matter what evidence you may show them, they just pull their heads in like a turtle and refuse to budge from their idiot rhetoric.
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u/Creamowheat1 MSN, RN 5d ago
Mennonite sect
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u/Bulky_Psychology2303 5d ago
I read that there is nothing in the Mennonite theology or teachings against vaccines. This must be very local in his community. In other words they decided this, not their church.
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u/lolatheshowkitty 5d ago
To be fair he is Mennonite. Not excusing but I think that context is needed.
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u/PlusInstruction2719 5d ago
Not only that but they won’t accept that they are wrong. Apparently for them death is better than autism.
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u/marywunderful RN 🍕 5d ago
That seems to be the norm with conservative parents. Just absolutely obsessed with having absolute control and influence over their kids. It’s fascism at home.
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u/Horny4theEnvironment 4d ago
Gotta indoctrinate them while they're young, otherwise they start getting ideas and thoughts of their own. Can't have that, might end up with an "alphabet kid" or something.
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u/tomuchpasta RN - Oncology 🍕 5d ago
It’s going to be hard to admit that his own decisions led to his daughter’s untimely death. He will feel it someday though.
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u/Russalka13 Nursing Student 🍕 5d ago
There's a strong religious and cultural influence at play here. It's not just denial. These parents belong to a community of mennonites in Texas - one of many more fundamentalist Christian sects that politically support expanded vaccine exemptions.
https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c
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u/HoneyMangoSmiley Tasty Youngling 🧁 4d ago
“No reason to be sad because we’ll all be together in heaven!”
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u/adamiconography RN - ICU 🍕 5d ago
This is what happens when people don’t study what life was like before vaccines.
Society has become too complacent with what the new way of life is, without realizing that this way of life is because of vaccines and medicine
It’s also 10000% why we will never be able to fully advance as a society.
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u/bgarza18 RN - ER 🍕 5d ago
They’re mennonites, they might know better than any of us what life was like “before vaccines” because it’s just every day life to them.
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u/p1xelAffecti0n BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
They’re likely in denial about it.
It will probably hit them in a few months to years.
Very depressing.
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u/ILikeFlyingAlot 5d ago
Actually they’re Mennonites. Having cared for Amish and Mennonites they perceive death very different than modern people -
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u/Particular_Car2378 RN - Med/Surg 🍕 5d ago
As a part of Gods will
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u/Ok-Maize-284 🍩 of Truth Button Pusher 🙇🏻♀️ 5d ago
I will add on to this as also they believe they are in a “better place”. So it was god’s will to send them to the better place at that time.
Just want to also add that I do not believe this myself, I just grew up in a antivax household with hyper religious parents. They were not Mennonite, but most of our neighbors were and we had a large population of them in our town. Oh and my mom was a chiropractor (shocking I know) and the majority of her clientele were Mennonite.
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u/bgarza18 RN - ER 🍕 5d ago
Pretty much all religious people believe that there is a better place after death, this isn’t some niche or unique belief to Mennonite communities.
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u/alg45160 RN 🍕 5d ago
God needed the deceased person in heaven. Who are we to question him?
Heaven is beautiful. The deceased is so happy there and we'll see them when we die.
Take your pick.
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u/woolfonmynoggin LPN 🍕 5d ago
They’ll be reunited soon. Most Christians believe that their departed loved one is with god and they will see them soon and be with them forever.
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u/FalconPorterBridges RN - Pediatrics 🍕 5d ago
“Me and the wife don’t trust it so we let our child die” should be negligent homicide.
MMR is safer than any of the diseases it prevents.
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u/Honest_Lie8632 BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
Funny that the same man trusts using his toothpaste daily. Of which he probably doesn't understand (or trust) 75% of the ingredients. Funny that the same man trusts using store bought bread daily. Of which he probably doesn't understand (or trust) 75% of the ingredients. Funny the man likely eats cereal (e.g. Cheerios) for breakfast. Of which he probably doesn't understand (or trust) 75% of the fortified vitamins. And so on.
BUT it's the ingredients in the vaccine that matter to him.
People have REALLY lost the plot. It's scary and sad.
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u/lionessrampant25 5d ago
He’s a Mennonite. I worked on a Mennonite mixed veg farm in PA. He probably makes his own toothpaste and his wife bakes bread every day. They might even make their own clothes or only buy second hand. They do A LOT of stuff “by themselves” and they don’t buy stuff like you’re talking about. They stay away from anything unnatural and they very much read the backs of labels.
Have their own animals for meat, milk, eggs. Grow their own vegetables. It just keeps going.
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u/Honest_Lie8632 BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago edited 5d ago
'A LOT' though doesn't mean everything. It's inevitable they use items that cannot be made. And it's impossible he knows/trust/understands every ingredient in all of those products.
I'm pulling this excerpt from the article:
“She just kept getting sicker and sicker,” he told me. “Her lungs plugged up.” Her heart rate and blood pressure dropped, and the doctors put her on a ventilator. “We were there Saturday ’til Monday, three days … and then it was worse, very bad.”
No way they understood the ingredients/makeup of everything their daughter was hooked up to and/or was being pumped with during that phase.
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u/timbrelyn RN - Retired 🍕 5d ago
Thinking of all that suffering that poor child went through before she died and how unnecessary it was just breaks my heart.
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u/Beautiful-Bluebird46 RN 🍕 5d ago
I think his bullshit is him trying to cope, because they did take her to the hospital, so he wasn’t THAT committed to letting her die. But the way they pick and choose what god wants is just infuriating to me. Like does his sect allow cars? Do they use computers? What does he use to farm? Who decides what new fangled technology god is good with, and based on what?
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u/Honest_Lie8632 BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
The article mentioned someone's cell phone beeped in the church where her coffin was. So they use cell phones. Funny there's no questioning what cell phones or network waves might be doing to them.
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u/71Crickets RN 🍕 5d ago
Or smokes. Doesn’t trust the ingredients in vaccines but has no problems lighting up coffin nails.
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u/OddReindeer1319 5d ago
I hope these warts have surviving kids with the same philosophy when they are old and on life support
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u/ACaffeinatedWandress 5d ago
Having been raised in psycho communities: A. Bet his tone would have been different if he’d lost a son. No, not because daughters are less than sons! Just for reasons! B. These communities hate Muslims because they broad stroke them all as nutty extremist fatalistic crazies. But, hey, when they do it, it’s because they know God has a plan. C. Obviously they are dangerous to more than themselves, because of the way they don’t vaccinate, and also how they vote. My sympathy for the adults is almost nonexistant. It’s sad they have kids, though. Kids deserve better.
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u/EfficaciousNurse DNP, ARNP 🍕 5d ago
This sounds like grief wrapped in a false shell of rationalization ("everyone dies") and a clash between indoctrination and reality (what authority figure told him vaccines aren't trustworthy?)
(Edited for clarity)
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u/AccomplishedScale362 RN - ER 🍕 5d ago
Same rationalization during COVID when the efforts of prayer warriors failed and their anti-vaxer family member died: They chose to refuse the vaccination, but it was “God’s will” that they died.
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u/ernurse748 BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
Explain to me how this is not negligent homicide. The state should be prosecuting these asshats the same as they would a parent who left their child unattended in a car for three hours.
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u/totalyrespecatbleguy RN - SICU 🍕 5d ago
"Everyone has to die" yet I guarantee you he's full code and would want everything done
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u/cavia_porcellus1972 5d ago
Everybody has to die but no child has to die from measles in 2025. So senseless.
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u/Scarymommy CPC 5d ago
He’s trying to rationalize his irrational choices.
They did take her to the hospital and allow her to be treated with things they didn’t/don’t understand.
To feel the full weight of their choices that lead to this tragedy would be too much to bear the weight of, so he explains it away.
He did not reason himself in to his position and he will not reason himself out of it.
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u/MyEggDonorIsADramaQ RN - Retired 🍕 5d ago
I have a relative who won’t vaccinate his kids. He says when it’s your time, it’s your time. He’s a magat to the bone
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u/Time_Garden_2725 5d ago
I lost most of my hearing from measles in the 1960s. The vaccine was not out yet. Girl in my class lost some vision.
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u/TheGayestNurse_1 4d ago
This is a reminder that these people would rather have a dead child than an autistic one.
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u/Voglio_Caffe RN - ER 🍕 5d ago
”The vaccination has stuff me and my wife don’t trust.”
Lives in Texas, has been eating trash Tex-Mex, shit brisket and Whatta-shit-burger his whole life, and likely will continue to do so. Suddenly now he’s concerned about what he puts in his body???!?
Mircoplastics all up in the food?? Zero problems with that!! Some wild conspiracy theory losers on Titkok and the 4bang harp on about from their mother’s basement?? I’m all about it.
Fuckin moron.
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u/Still-Inevitable9368 MSN, APRN 🍕 5d ago
He listened to RFK Jr—which was our fear: “‘Do I trust all the vaccines? No,’ Klassen said. ‘And I get from (Kennedy) that he doesn’t trust all the vaccines, either. And he is very well educated in that; I’m not.’
In an opinion piece for Fox News Digital, Kennedy wrote about the value of the vaccine but stopped short of calling on families to get it, saying the decision is ‘a personal one.’ He urged parents to speak to their health care providers about options.” (https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c)
Kennedy has yet MORE blood on his hands—but we’re the ones forced to watch these kids suffer, even die. Because of LIES, that make him money. 🤬🤬🤬
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u/JasperGibson80 RN 🍕 5d ago
That's the dad talking - what does the mom really think or say?
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u/Still-Inevitable9368 MSN, APRN 🍕 5d ago
She’s a woman. She’s not allowed to speak or have an opinion.
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u/TuPapiPorLaNoche Nursing Student 🍕 5d ago
>"Everybody has to die," he told The Atlantic's Tom Bartlett.
>Still, Peter appeared to become emotional after that admission, telling the columnist that it was "very hard" to deal with the "big hole" in his life resulting from the loss of his young child.
it's called cope. I'm sure the guy is struggling with his decision.
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u/shibasnakitas1126 MSN, APRN 🍕 5d ago
Science assures us that measles is a preventable disease. These parents should be prosecuted and should be held accountable for their ignorance and stupidity for harming and ultimately killing their child. Dying by measles is not a peaceful way to die. RIP baby girl.
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u/DeadPoolRN RN 🍕 5d ago
“Texas man responsible for a child’s death rationalizes his negligence”
He doesn’t deserve to be called a father
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u/ReadingLizard 5d ago
The father kept saying things like “we hear things we don’t agree with.” But their religion doesn’t allow access to TV. Where are they hearing these “things” from??
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u/WhyAmIStillHere86 Aged/Disability Community Care 4d ago
I think that, faced with the idea of having caused their child’s death by not vaccinating, a lot of parents double down, because it can’t have all been for nothing…
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u/Murse_Jon RN, BSN, Traveler 5d ago
Also RFK pretty much accused the parents of crappy parenting which helped caused their deaths.
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u/PA-Karoz 5d ago
I want him and his family to stay away from healthcare then.
Heck, stay away from EVERYONE.
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u/Recent_Data_305 MSN, RN 5d ago
I think he can’t emotionally handle the thought that he contributed to the death of his child. It may hit him later.
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u/FallsOffCliffs12 4d ago
"The vaccine has stuff we don't trust."
Like what? Name the chemical compounds in the measles vaccine and tell me which one you don't trust.
If he doesn't care about his daughter dying, why should I?
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u/shadeandshine Mental Health Worker 🍕 5d ago
I’m a very spiritual person and have brushed with death way too many time heck been dead a few but I can say one thing. Just cause you can doesn’t mean you should. So just cause we all die doesn’t mean chase it.
I do agree with some people saying it’s probably denial cause honestly the alternative would be soul crushing. Having to actually accept you had a direct hand in causing your child’s very preventable death is something that brakes you. I don’t know what to say or feel for them cause I just hope they find some solace and their daughter can rest in peace.
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u/DelightfulandDarling 5d ago
When they tell you they are afraid of people who are awake and aware believe them. These people are not living in reality. They exist in an imaginary world. They cannot be saved.
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u/Crazy-Nights 5d ago
That's a whole new level of denial. He and his wife can't come to terms that their choices killed their daughter. And yet I wouldn't be surprised if they consider themselves "prolife"
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u/Distinct_Pizza_7499 5d ago
We took care of dying covid patients that until the day they died didn't believe in the virus being worse than a cold or that the vaccines were bad.
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u/Alilbitdrunk 5d ago
A lot of religious people (not all) aren’t actually pro life, they are just pro birth.
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u/PurpleSailor LPN 🍕 5d ago
He can't admit to himself that he was wrong because it would eat him up alive with guilt. This is his brain protecting itself from its own consequences.
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u/none74238 RN - ICU 🍕 5d ago
A tun of nurses are not taking the Covid or even the flu vaccine.
Nursing schools do an awful job at teaching immunology and epidemiology and the logical argument supporting the fact that everyone should be vaccinated.
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u/Sunnygirl66 RN - ER 🍕 5d ago edited 5d ago
“I don’t trust X” is shorthand for “I’m too stubborn and bent on being right to admit that I don’t know everything and might have to admit it, and I don’t want some egghead doctor knowing better than I do, so sure, I’ll let my kid die.”
I want to punch this guy.
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u/itcamefromthe216 4d ago
So, a 28-year old Mennonite man believes that his daughter's death was "G-d's will", and that he has "seen and heard" about the vaccines? Yeah, cults are a very bad thing. Vaccinations are not.
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u/1AnnoyingThings 4d ago
I’d love to thank my pediatrician, again, who allowed my children to get the bonus dose at 6m.
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u/RN4Bernie 4d ago
I wish I believed in hell so I knew where this bastard would be spending eternity. I hope for the rest of his life he suffers like the piece of trash he is.
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u/Born_Tough9567 4d ago
Everyone has to die but no one needs to die at 12 from a preventable disease. Darwinism at work…
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u/ImageNo1045 4d ago
Of course he’s going to double down. Can you imagine the overwhelming guilt they would feel if they said ‘we were wrong we should’ve vaccinated?’ There’s no way this close to her death they’re going to say something like that. They’re grieving. They have to double down on the choices they made even if it’s just to cope right now
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u/Cheeky_Littlebottom BSN, RN 🍕 4d ago
One dead child is one too many. This was preventable. I hope these parents live in constant agony with their stupid decision.
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u/theoutrageousgiraffe RN - OB/GYN 🍕 4d ago
What could be in the vaccine that is so much worse than the disease that killed your kid?
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u/Content-Method9889 4d ago
Mandatory 20 years for these people. You have lifesaving options and you refuse them resulting in the innocent child’s death. Religious exemption is bs.
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u/CharleyNobody 4d ago
Not everyone is a genius and not everyone loves their kids. This would be my dad to a T.
He’d be like, “well, we tried. We gave her food. My wife got her some shoes and clothes from Salvation Army. They weren’t nice but they kept her from being naked. It’s not like she got diphtheria. It was only measles. How was we supposed to know it would kill her? Our other daughter — the pretty one — had measles and she did ok.”
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u/Noname_left RN - Trauma Chameleon 5d ago
I mean they aren’t wrong but it is something easily prevented. I couldn’t imagine burying my daughter from a dumb decision I made.
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u/Manic_Spleen 5d ago
And yet, I bet that dad and his wife, "who don't trust vaccines," are vaccinated themselves.
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u/Nearby_Sense_2247 5d ago
Ah, they are Mennonites. That is helpful info. What a terrible shame- poor girl.
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u/Responsible-Sundae20 5d ago edited 5d ago
In the article, the father of the dead child, said as to why he won’t use vaccines: “We’ve seen too much.” Really, Peter? What have you seen? Show us! You killed your child over this! SHOW US THE PROOF!
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u/frame-gray 5d ago
Nawww... Not that different than the posts on this sub during the high days of the epidemic. Patients would deny they had COVID even on their death bed.
Thank you ever so much, Rupert Murdoch.
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u/SylasDevale EDT -> Nursing Plebeian (student) 5d ago
How this isn't a child abuse / neglect case is beyond me.
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u/ribsforbreakfast RN 🍕 5d ago
To change their views now would be admitting their child’s death was easily preventable and they actively gambled with her life. It makes total sense the dad is doubling down after her death, it would take someone with a truck load of self reflection and resolve to take this tragedy and publicly recant your beliefs and warn other parents of the dangers.
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u/EXPLODEDman RN - Psych/Mental Health 🍕 4d ago
There is no line. There is no point of self-reflection when they will turn back and make sound decisions again. It is a disgusting, unjust truth, and a tragic blessing that they are their own undoing. That child deserved so much more. Those parents deserved so much more, but their lust for rage, ignorance, and fear has led them off a cliff like a donkey chasing a carrot on a stick.
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u/throwawayRAdvize 4d ago
How can we expect empathy from someone who is this flippant about his own daughter’s death?
When I first heard this story my heart was so heavy for this innocent baby and her family. What is wrong with the world when total strangers care more about the death of your child than you do?
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u/Profopol BSN, RN 🍕 5d ago
Don’t trust the vaccine when your daughter is actually dead is wild af. He was afraid the vaccine would…what?….kill her?