Brain-Eating Amoeba Strikes Ruston 8-Year-Old: Family Begs for Prayers
Brave 8-Year-Old Lillian Battles Rare Brain Infection After Lake Swim
A Birthday in the Hospital
Lillian Smart turned 8 years old on Friday — but instead of cake and presents at home, she spent her special day in a hospital bed. Doctors are working hard to help her fight a very rare and serious infection in her brain.
Lillian is from Ruston, Louisiana. She’s currently in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) — that’s a special part of the hospital for kids who need extra-close care.
What Happened to Lillian?
Lillian got sick very fast last week. Here’s how it happened:
- Thursday — She got a high fever and felt extremely tired
- Friday — She tested negative for COVID-19, the flu, and strep throat
- Saturday — She started seeing double vision, and her mom noticed her pupils (the black dots in the center of her eyes) weren’t the same size
- Saturday afternoon — Her parents, Daniel and Rebecca Smart, rushed her to Willis-Knighton South hospital in Shreveport
- At the hospital — Doctors first thought it was bacterial meningitis (an infection around the brain and spinal cord) after doing a spinal tap
- Later — They discovered it was actually Naegleria fowleri — a rare "brain-eating" amoeba
IMPORTANT POINT
Lillian’s mom Rebecca says: "Lillian is the best girl in the world, and if you know her, you know that she is STRONG."The family celebrated her birthday in the hospital and asks for continued prayers as she fights this illness.
What Is Naegleria Fowleri? (The "Brain-Eating Amoeba")
Don’t let the scary name confuse you — here’s what you need to know in simple terms:
What Is It?
- A microscopic (super tiny — you can’t see it without a microscope) amoeba (a tiny living thing made of just one cell)
- It lives in warm freshwater like lakes, rivers, and canals
- Not found in saltwater (oceans, gulfs)
- Cannot survive in properly cleaned, chlorinated swimming pools
How Does Someone Get It?
- Water with the amoeba goes up the nose (not by drinking it!)
- It then travels to the brain and causes a very serious infection called Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)
- Health officials think Lillian was exposed while swimming in Lake Claiborne
How Rare Is It?
- Extremely rare — only a handful of cases in the entire U.S. each year
- But nearly always fatal (very few people survive)
- That’s why doctors are working so hard to help Lillian
Symptoms to Watch For
Symptoms usually show up about 5 days after exposure (but can be anywhere from 1 to 12 days):
| Early Symptoms | Later Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Severe headache | Stiff neck |
| Fever | Seizures |
| Nausea and vomiting | Confusion |
| Coma (can’t wake up) |
IMPORTANT: If someone has been in warm freshwater recently and gets a bad headache with fever and vomiting — go to the ER right away. Tell the doctors about the water exposure!
How the Community Is Helping
The Ruston community has rallied around the Smart family in beautiful ways:
GoFundMe for Family Expenses
- Daniel and Rebecca are both self-employed (they work for themselves)
- Being at the hospital 24/7 means no income but bills keep coming
- The GoFundMe helps with household expenses while they focus on Lillian
- Link to GoFundMe
"Love for Lillian" Community Day
- Local businesses organized a special day on Lillian’s birthday
- Customers visited Lillian’s favorite restaurants and shops
- Businesses donated part of their sales to the family
- The community showed up big time!
Prayer Requests
The family’s biggest request is for prayers:
- For the pressure on Lillian’s brain to decrease
- For her medicines to work
- For her complete healing
How to Stay Updated
The family is sharing updates on the "Love for Lillian" Facebook page.
As they wrote on Friday: "Say her name. Lift her to the Lord. He is a God of miracles and he’s already shown us that."
Summary
- Lillian Smart, 8, from Ruston, LA, is in the PICU fighting Naegleria fowleri infection
- She likely got it from swimming in Lake Claiborne
- The amoeba lives in warm freshwater — not saltwater or clean pools
- Infection is extremely rare but very serious
- Symptoms: fever → headache → vomiting → double vision → seizures
- Community support: GoFundMe, local business fundraiser, prayer chain
- Family asks for prayers for healing and shares updates on Facebook
FAQ — Questions You Might Have
Can I get this from drinking lake water?
No! The amoeba only causes infection when water goes up the nose and reaches the brain. Drinking contaminated water doesn’t cause this illness.
Is it safe to swim in lakes?
Most of the time, yes. Millions of people swim in warm freshwater every year and never get this infection. It’s incredibly rare. But you can lower risk even more (see next question).
How can I protect myself and my kids?
Simple steps to reduce risk:
- Hold your nose shut or use nose clips when jumping/diving in warm freshwater
- Avoid putting your head under in hot springs or very warm shallow water
- Don’t stir up sediment (mud/dirt at the bottom) in warm freshwater
- Stick to well-maintained, chlorinated pools for safest swimming
Why is it called "brain-eating" amoeba?
The amoeba destroys brain tissue as it multiplies, causing severe swelling and damage. The medical name for the disease is Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).
Has anyone ever survived this?
Yes, but very few. Out of hundreds of known cases in the U.S., only a handful of people have survived with early, aggressive treatment. That’s why Lillian’s case is so critical and why her family and doctors are fighting so hard.
Let’s all keep Lillian in our thoughts and prayers.
Want to help? Visit the "Love for Lillian" Facebook page for updates, or consider donating to the family’s GoFundMe.