A Colorado family is mourning the loss of their 5-year-old son, Justin Peden, who died from a rare disease just five days after falling ill during a family vacation.

Justin's parents, Terese Peden and Viet Vu, were traveling across the Pacific Northwest when their son began complaining of stomach pain on July 3. Initially believing it to be a common ailment, the pain worsened overnight, leading the parents to rush him to the emergency room.

Doctors were initially unsure of the cause, but on July 5, as Justin's condition deteriorated, he was placed on life support with a 50-50 chance of survival. Further testing led to a suspicion of Clarkson's disease, also known as systemic capillary leak syndrome.

Clarkson's disease is an exceptionally rare condition, with approximately 500 cases reported globally since the 1960s. The disease causes fluids and proteins to leak from blood vessels into surrounding tissues, potentially leading to dangerously low blood pressure, severe swelling, and organ failure.

Unfortunately, the diagnosis came too late for Justin. His parents were informed that his body was failing and that medications were no longer sufficient. They were then faced with the difficult decision to end life support.

"He fought as hard as he could until July 8th," Vu wrote on social media. "By that time his organs were failing him. The doctors told us chances for recovery and survival were slim. And at this point my boy wasn’t even recognizable."

Vu described how Justin's body was severely swollen from the fluids administered to keep him alive. Advised by doctors to allow their son to pass peacefully, the family made the agonizing choice.

"His face and his body were soooo swollen from the fluids they were putting in to keep him alive," Vu stated. "To save him from a catastrophic event, the doctors advised us to decide how to let him go peacefully."

Before life support was turned off, the family honored Justin's love for the outdoors by bringing him to the hospital gardens, where they read him bedtime stories and played his favorite music. "After the stories we played his favorite bedtime playlist and big sister, mom, and I laid our heads on his bed and held his hands one last time before they turned off his life support machine," Vu recounted.

Justin was described on a GoFundMe page established to help with funeral costs and raise funds for Clarkson's disease research as a "sweet and loving little boy who brought joy to everyone around him." The page noted his contagious smile, laughter, and energy, and how his illness progressed with "heartbreaking speed."

"He had a contagious smile, and filled every room with his laughter and endless energy," the fundraiser read. "Justin’s illness progressed with heartbreaking speed, and within just a matter of days, his family went from searching for answers to saying goodbye to their precious little boy."

Family members remembered him as friendly, smart, and handsome, who loved Pokémon, Mario, animals, and spending time with his family. "He was the coolest, most clever and funny guy," wrote Emily Peden. "Justin was a sweet and special boy. too sweet for this earth and so special that no one had ever seen anyone like him before."