A five-year-old Townsville boy who woke up with what appeared to be a harmless headache while on holiday has tragically died four days later in hospital.
Andre Daisy, 5, died unexpectedly after coming down with flu-like symptoms on a family holiday with his mother Trudy Stanley-Thaiday, step-dad Jarick and his three sisters, in Brisbane on February 2.
His mother said she thought her son had caught the flu when he developed a headache and vomited on the morning they were set to travel home, The Townsville Bulletin reports.
But Andre’s condition declined drastically in just a matter of hours and he began to have a seizure, forcing his family to pull over and call the paramedics in Gladstone at 2pm.
He was placed into an induced coma and flown to back to Brisbane for urgent medical treatment at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
Ms Napier said doctors suspect meningitis may have been the cause of the “significant swelling” they later found on Andre’s brain.
“It was five times the size of what it was supposed to be,” she said.
“They did a procedure to try and relieve some of the pressure to his brain on Saturday but it just got worse.
“He had no brain function. It was devastating.”
She said their family was left with the heartbreaking decision of letting him go and the five-year-old passed away in hospital surrounded by family on Sunday, February 5.
His mum said it was one day before he was due to start prep at Rasmussen State School.
“It was heart-shattering,” she said.
“Andre was my only son. He was so sweet — just such a loving and cheeky little boy.
“He always looked after his sisters.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Andre’s family bring him home to Townsville and to cover funeral expenses. It has reached just over $10,000 of the $15,000 goal.
It is estimated that transporting Andre’s body from Brisbane to Townsville will cost roughly $11,000.
“He had no other symptoms he had nothing, by the time anyone knew something was wrong with him it was too late to do anything to save him,’ his aunt, Michaelia Napier wrote.
“Because of how unexpectedly this was, we are now left struggling on how we are going to pay for all expense.
“I couldn’t imagine the pain my sister is in and there is nothing I can do to help. So making this page is my way of helping her so this is one thing she doesn’t have to worry about.”
Andre’s step-mum’s brother Shaneen McCann has also started a GofundMe page for the little boy - which raised $17,100 - and revealed that both sets of parents held his hand as he slipped away.
“Andre was surrounded by so many of his family in hospital, many of whom travelled to be by his side,” Mr McCann wrote.
“He was bathed, dressed, held, talked to, had his hair done, sung to, was given toys and treats while we all prayed for a miracle.
“He got to see a new day dawn and was watching the sunrise while being held by both sets of his parents and other family. With their hands on his chest, they felt Andre’s last heartbeats and spent their final day cuddling him.”
Mr McCann said Andre used to joke around with different sayings and lightheartedly told his mother “when God comes knocking, you better let him in” two weeks prior to his death.
Ms Napier said planned to hire a jumping castle and have a party at home in Townsville to celebrate her son’s life
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