Father Issues Urgent Alert After Son's Unexpected Vacation Tragedy
WHO:
ABC News - Viet Vu described his son Justin as "super sweet," someone who loved to meet new people and make them laugh.
6abc Philadelphia - Viet Vu, a father from Denver, Colorado.
6abc Philadelphia - Terese Peden, mother of Justin Vu.
6abc Philadelphia - Justin Vu, a 5-year-old boy who died.
6abc Philadelphia - National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD).
WHAT:
[6:06 a.m. ET] - USA Today - Justin Vu was diagnosed with Clarkson's disease, also known as systemic capillary leak syndrome, which has been recorded in only about 300 adults since it was first documented in 1958, and only 30 cases among children since the first case was recorded in 1995.
[6:06 a.m. ET] - USA Today - Justin was put on life support on July 5, with doctors informing his family he had only a 50/50 chance of survival.
[6:06 a.m. ET] - USA Today - An online fundraiser for Justin's family has raised nearly $45,000.
ABC News - Terese Peden, Justin's mother, stated, "5 days in the hospital and he was gone."
6abc Philadelphia - Justin Vu died after developing systemic capillary leak syndrome (SCLS) during a family trip.
6abc Philadelphia - Justin was diagnosed with SCLS, also known as Clarkson's disease or Clarkson's syndrome.
6abc Philadelphia - Less than 500 cases of SCLS have been reported globally since the 1960s.
6abc Philadelphia - Justin began showing symptoms on the fourth night of the trip, complaining of a stomachache and later vomiting.
6abc Philadelphia - Justin was hospitalized for five days before he died.
WHERE:
6abc Philadelphia - The family trip took place in Oregon.
6abc Philadelphia - Justin was initially taken to a local hospital emergency room in Oregon and later transferred to a children's hospital in Portland.
WHEN:
6abc Philadelphia - Justin died on July 8, surrounded by family members.
WHY:
[6:06 a.m. ET] - USA Today - Viet Vu stated, "Don’t take it for granted. Try to cherish every moment you have with them. Every hug and every kiss because you don’t know when it’s going to be the last time."
ABC News - Viet Vu emphasized the need for parents to be aware of systemic capillary leak syndrome, stating, "I've never even heard of it, and I'm 39 years old -- and it kind of just hit us."
6abc Philadelphia - Viet Vu stated that he wanted to raise awareness about SCLS, describing it as an "invisible disease that has no real signs."
HOW:
ABC News - Medical teams administered four different antimicrobial medications to cover all potential underlying bacterial or atypical infections.
6abc Philadelphia - Medical teams administered four different antimicrobial medications to cover potential bacterial or atypical infections.
(UPDATED July 31, 2026 19:25 UTC)
Justin Vu has been diagnosed with Clarkson's disease, a rare condition affecting only about 300 adults and 30 children since it was first documented. He was placed on life support on July 5, with doctors giving his family a 50/50 chance of survival, prompting an online fundraiser that has raised nearly $45,000 for his support. His father, Viet Vu, shared a heartfelt message urging others to cherish every moment with loved ones, emphasizing that you never know when it might be the last time.
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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 11:45 UTC)
Viet Vu described his son Justin as "super sweet," someone who loved to meet new people and make them laugh, but tragically, Justin passed away after just five days in the hospital, according to his mother, Terese Peden. Viet emphasized the importance of parents being aware of systemic capillary leak syndrome, admitting that he had never even heard of it before it affected their family. Medical teams did their best to save Justin, administering four different antimicrobial medications to address all potential underlying infections.
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(UPDATED July 31, 2026 10:56 UTC)
A tragic incident has emerged involving Justin Vu, a five-year-old boy from Denver, Colorado, who died after developing systemic capillary leak syndrome during a family trip to Oregon. Justin began showing symptoms on the fourth night of the trip, leading to hospitalization where he received multiple treatments but ultimately succumbed to the illness surrounded by family. His father, Viet Vu, is now advocating for awareness about SCLS, which he describes as an "invisible disease that has no real signs," highlighting the rarity of the condition with fewer than 500 cases reported globally since the 1960s.