An n mother is heartbroken after her 16-year-old son tragically passed away after being bitten by a brown snake, but says he will live on through organ donations.
Beau Horan, 16, was doing yard work at his family property at Wurdong Heights, in the Gladstone region of Queensland, on Monday.
He thought he had scratched himself on the foot while working in the bushes but his sister spotted a brown snake darting away.
Beau quickly returned inside and moments later collapsed, hitting his head against a wall and tiles on the floor.
‘I was at work when it happened, and his sister and stepdad were with him. I was on the phone with his stepdad when he collapsed,’ his mother, Bek Eddy, told Daily Mail .
‘They called an ambulance, and after assessing him, he was rushed to the hospital, where he was given antivenom.’
That night Beau was put into a coma, and when staff discovered that he had a severe brain bleed he was flown to Brisbane Hospital.
Beau fought for his life for three days, but tragically passed away on Thursday morning, leaving behind two sisters. A GoFundMe has been setup to support the family.
The family is still unsure whether the snake bite directly caused his brain bleed.
‘He was so involved in school – he loved robotics and was a passionate gamer, always playing with his friends,’ Bek explained.
‘He had a cheeky sense of humour, was incredibly loyal to his sisters, and always managed to stay positive, no matter what life threw at him. He could shake off a bad day.
‘He was so excited to go into Year 11 and had big dreams of becoming a teacher. He was incredible – truly the love of my life.
‘This was the first brown snake we’ve seen in three years, though we’ve always been aware of the danger.’
Mrs Eddy revealed that her son was an organ donor, and through his generosity, he will give the gift of life to four other people.
She also wanted to raise awareness about the risks of snake bites.
Brown snakes are the most common cause of fatal snake bites in , but it is rare for people to die from them. About 3,000 snake bites are reported each year, resulting in about two deaths annually.
The eastern brown snake is found across eastern , from north Queensland to South , and is extremely venomous.
Snake catcher and expert Raymond Hoser said brown snakes were the most common venomous snakes in the Gladstone region.
November was peak activity season for the species in Queensland as they were feeding and mating, Mr Hoser said.
‘Unless you are licensed to handle snakes don’t go near them.
‘Assume that all of them are potentially dangerous – don’t sit there trying to identify them.’
Even the most dangerous snakes don’t generally bite unless placed in a life-threatening situation, he added.
A spokesperson for Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed that a male teen was transported to Gladstone Hospital on Monday, in a life-threatening condition after a suspected snake bite to the foot.
A Gladstone Hospital spokesperson said the patient was later transferred to a Brisbane hospital.
– Remove any debris or woodpiles, cut back long grass and shrubbery, remove leaf litter and block any holes around the outside of your house that may look like a safe spot to hide
– Keep pests under control. Rodents are a good food source for snakes – less food means less snakes.
– Keep bird aviaries and chook pens secure, clean and free of rodents. Ensure you have a fine mesh or shade cloth around the outside of any aviary so our snake friends don’t get stuck in the wire.
– If possible, keep cats inside and snake avoidance training for dogs can literally be a life saver.
– Call a professional. Never attempt to catch or kill a snake. This is illegal and snakes are incredibly important to the local ecosystem.
SOURCE: n Geographic