It was a challenge that changed the course of a young man’s life forever — one that his friends still struggle to come to terms with.

In 2010, Sam Ballard’s life changed in an instant after he faced heartbreaking consequences from accepting a risky dare.

Like many 19-year-olds trying to impress friends and share a laugh, the Australian teen thought it would be harmless to accept the challenge when a small creature crossed his path during a party.

Yet shortly after that moment, the young rugby player began experiencing severe health problems.

The creature carried a parasite known as rat lungworm, and Sam developed a rare form of meningitis called eosinophilic meningoencephalitis, which can be serious but is treatable.

He became critically ill and was placed in a coma for 420 days. When he finally woke up, Sam was left unable to move his body from the neck down.

He could only control his breathing and eyelids, and his mother, Katie Ballard, became his full-time caregiver.

Sam passed away in 2018 at the age of 28 due to health complications connected to the incident.

His friend Jimmy Galvin later shared the painful memory with The Project:

“We were sitting around having a wine night, trying to act like grown-ups, and a little slug came crawling by.
The conversation came up — ‘Should I eat it?’ — and Sam just did it. That’s how it happened.”

Jimmy said he later told Sam he was sorry for not stopping him — and that Sam broke down in tears.

He also shared an emotional message for today’s youth, hoping no one repeats the same mistake:

“Look out for your friends. Think twice before you take a risky dare or do something just for laughs.
It can have lifelong consequences — not just for your mate, but for everyone who cares about them.”

Sam’s family made it clear they never blamed his friends, telling the NZ Herald that “the boys were just being mates.”

“[Some people online said] the boys should have been the ones taking responsibility.
But that’s unfair — they were all just kids. It’s hard to understand how one small decision could change everything.
Sam was an amazing person. His family lost so much, and all the great moments they should have shared.”

At Sam’s farewell ceremony, his brother Joshua spoke to his grieving friends:

“We don’t want you to feel any guilt about that night.
Your friendship meant the world to Sam.”