A “Frozen” Farewell: How a Sudden Flu Complication Took the Life of a Healthy 4-Year-Old
Ellie Rudd will be laid to rest wearing the gown of a queen. The light blue and white costume, modeled after Princess Elsa from the movie Frozen, was a final gift from her aunt. It is a fitting tribute for a rambunctious four-year-old who loved dance parties and dressing up just as much as she loved playing in the mud.
Ellie passed away on January 6, the victim of a rapid and devastating cascade of illnesses that began with the flu.
Her death has left her family in Ogden, Utah, reeling. According to her mother, Sarah Rudd, Ellie was the picture of resilience prior to this infection. “She was probably my healthiest of all my kids,” Sarah said, noting that Ellie had never suffered from eczema, cavities, or any underlying medical issues. “I have no idea why it hit her so hard.”
A Holiday Outbreak
The illness swept through the Rudd household beginning on Christmas Day. Sarah was the first to fall ill, followed by her 14-month-old daughter, Dani, and her husband, Michael. By New Year’s Day, as the parents were recovering, the three older children—Mary Jane, 6; Ellie; and Kyler, 3—began to show symptoms.
The family had not received flu shots this year. “Neither Michael nor I have ever had the flu shot before, and so we just don’t think about getting it,” Sarah explained. While she is unsure if the vaccine would have prevented the specific strain that struck her family, the experience has been a harsh awakening.
“Mommy, Ellie Needs You”
The situation turned critical on January 2. After falling asleep on the couch, Ellie was sent to bed, but moments later, her brother Kyler emerged from their shared room with a chilling warning: “Mommy, Ellie needs you.”
Ellie had developed a harsh, barking cough. Sarah immediately rushed her to a local hospital, where tests confirmed a dual infection of the flu and adenovirus. Despite an X-ray showing clear lungs, Ellie’s blood oxygen had plummeted to 85%. She was admitted overnight for oxygen and antivirals.
The following day brought a deceptive calm, followed by a terrifying storm. Just as the hospital prepared to discharge her, Ellie began vomiting blood. A subsequent X-ray revealed that pneumonia had developed in her lung overnight, triggering sepsis—a life-threatening response to infection that caused simultaneous internal bleeding and blood clotting.
The Medical Battle
Ellie was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. Medical teams placed her on ECMO, a machine that bypasses the heart and lungs to oxygenate the blood, hoping to buy her body time to heal. However, blood clots had formed in her heart. Because of her internal bleeding, doctors could not risk the surgeries or blood thinners needed to remove them.
Compounding the tragedy, Sarah received a call from her mother during this crisis: Ellie’s older sister, Mary Jane, had also developed pneumonia and bronchitis.
“It was absolute chaos and terrible,” Sarah recalled. “I felt like I’d lost all hope at that point… It hit her so fast and so hard.”
A Warning to Parents
Dr. Buddy Creech, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University, noted that this flu season has been particularly aggressive, driven by a new strain known as subclade K. He warned that children often “lie” physiologically—appearing stable until their bodies can no longer compensate, leading to sudden crashes.
He advises parents to watch for labored breathing—specifically if a child is using neck or rib muscles to draw breath—as a major red flag.
A Change of Heart
As the Rudd family prepares to say goodbye, they are navigating difficult conversations with their surviving children. Kyler has asked if Ellie has her angel wings now; Mary Jane is slowly recovering physically, though the emotional toll remains.
Through her grief, Sarah Rudd has a new message for other parents regarding vaccination.
“Honestly, just get your flu shots,” Sarah urged, acknowledging that her family will likely vaccinate in the future for peace of mind. “I’ve never been afraid of sickness before, but now I’m a little terrified.”