My heart is shattered because my 8-year-old son, despite being fully vaccinated, fell victim to invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B (HIB). He passed away within just 16 hours of showing symptoms. Doctors told me his fate was sealed the moment he was exposed — exposure that likely would not have happened if herd immunity had been intact. That’s why Florida’s decision to end all vaccine mandates alarms me so deeply.

I am horrified to see Florida announce it will end all vaccine mandates, becoming the first state in the nation to do so. This decision doesn’t just affect Floridians — it risks undermining public health protections across the entire country.

Vaccines save lives. They keep our children safe in schools, protect vulnerable people with weakened immune systems, and prevent the resurgence of deadly diseases like measles, whooping cough, and HIB. When requirements are removed, vaccination rates fall, outbreaks spread, and families like mine pay the price.  Vaccines don’t just limit your chances of contracting a disease, they also limit the carriage and spread of diseases.

I am urging Florida’s leaders to reverse this dangerous decision and keep vaccine requirements in place.

My name is Ashlee, and I know the devastation of losing a child to a preventable disease. I don’t want any other family to experience the heartbreak that mine has endured. Together, we can raise our voices and make sure public health protections are not dismantled.

Please join me in calling on Florida to protect children, protect families, and protect lives.