Brit dad, 30, tragically dies on ‘lifelong' dream Thai boxing trip just days before birth of his second child
Ryan O'Connor, 30, passed away just days before his wife gave birth to their second child back home in the UK.
3
3
3
The beloved husband, dad, and well-known member of the Rossendale community died on June 28 after falling seriously ill at a Thai boxing academy.
The dad-of-two had flown out to Thailand on May 29, determined to tick off a lifelong goal before becoming a dad for the second time.
Ryan's brother Liam said: 'He just wanted to do it before he had two children.
'He thought he couldn't go out there before having two children.
'It was his last chance to go and do something that he's always wanted to do.'
But the dream turned to tragedy just weeks later when Ryan became suddenly unwell, bedridden with severe diarrhoea and what his family suspects was a serious infection.
He managed a video call to his parents on June 26, describing his symptoms - prompting his dad to contact Ryan's hotel to ask for urgent medical help.
By the time emergency workers arrived, Ryan had collapsed on the bathroom floor and gone into cardiac arrest.
Medics managed to restart his heart after 15 harrowing minutes and placed him on life support.
But his condition worsened rapidly. He slipped into septic shock, his kidneys began to fail, and he passed away the next morning - just days before what would have been his 31st birthday.
Brit, 22, rushed to hospital after 'falling off boat in Magaluf & getting caught in propeller after drinking with pals'
Back home in the UK, Ryan's wife Joanne, a local maths teacher, welcomed their baby girl Maya Jasmine O'Connor Sunday morning —surrounded by loved ones but shattered by the loss of her husband.
She is now facing a future raising early-three-year-old Riley and newborn Maya alone.
In a heartfelt plea on the GoFundMe page set to support the grieving family, Liam wrote: '(Joanne) now faces the unimaginable pain of preparing to bring new life into the world whilst coping with the uncertainty of their future and the devastating knowledge that their new daughter will never meet her father.
'Riley, the first child who is nearly three, will not see her father again.'
'We are raising this money to help Joanne and her family manage the unknown costs ahead, including support for her two young children, keeping their roof over their head's, medical expenses, possible repatriation for Ryan and other costs associated with raising two young children alone, one of whom is due to arrive any day now.'
He added: 'If you knew Ryan, you would know he was a great dad and husband.
It was his last chance to go and do something that he's always wanted to do
Liam O'ConnorRyan's brother
'His strength, humour, and warmth have touched so many people.
'Now it's our turn to rally around him and his family during their darkest hour.'
The GoFundMe campaign has already raised more than £42,000 towards its £50,000 goal, with almost 1,000 donations pouring in.
In an update, Liam wrote: 'Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude.
'In less than one week, we hit our £40k goal!
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
4 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Footballer dies aged 30 in front of mother before first training session with new club
A footballer has died aged 30 after collapsing at his home in front of his mother just one day before he was due to start training with his new club. Luca Aluisi, from Marta, Italy, was due to attend training with Tuscan non-league side ASD Castell'Azzara on Wednesday but fell ill and lost consciousness on Tuesday, according to local media reports. Local outlet Corriere Di Viterbo said that he began suffering convulsions at around 1:30am local time on the night before his death. Emergency services were called and arrived at his home but were unable to save his life after he began feeling unwell. A club statement from ASD Castell'Azzara read: 'ASD Castell'Azzara is deeply shaken by the tragic news of the passing of Luca Aluisi. The young man, 30, was ready to wear our jersey and begin this new sporting adventure with great enthusiasm. 'The club joins with heartfelt sympathy in the family's grief for the sudden loss of Luca. Our deepest condolences go to his loved ones. His new club, Tuscan non-league side ASD Castell'Azzara, paid tribute to him on Instagram 'Every training session, every match, every goal: Luca will always be with us. Goodbye, Luca.' Massimo Natali, president of Aluisi's boyhood club Marta, added: 'It's shocking news. He played with us since he was a child, always showing passion and dedication. 'He was a kind, sensitive boy, actively involved in local initiatives. His memory will live on in all of us.' The Mayor of Viterbo, where Lucas' father, Marco, works as a police officer said: 'There are no words to ease a parent's pain. We offer a silent embrace to Marco and his family for this irreparable loss.' Marta's Mayor, Maurizio Lacchini expressed his sympathy to the family: 'We stand with them and share their grief.' His family have reportedly requested an autopsy to determine his cause of death.
The Sun
34 minutes ago
- The Sun
Footballer, 30, dies in front of mum after collapsing just hours before first training session with new team
FOOTBALLER Luca Aluisi has died after collapsing in front of his mum. The 30-year-old had only just signed for Italian non-league side ASD Castell'Azzara. 1 Aluisi was due to attend his first training session at the club today after putting pen to paper on his contract. But he suddenly fell ill yesterday and lost consciousness at home. His mum was visiting at the time and immediately called an ambulance. Unfortunately, medics were unable to save him. A statement from ASD Castell'Azzara confirmed the devastating news. It read: "We are deeply shaken by the tragic news of the passing of Luca Aluisi. "The young man, 30, was ready to wear our jersey and begin this new sporting adventure with great enthusiasm. "The club joins with heartfelt sympathy in the family's grief for the sudden loss of Luca. "Our deepest condolences go to his loved ones. "Every training session, every match, every goal: Luca will always be with us. Goodbye, Luca." Massimo Natali, who is the president of the team Marta, added: "It's shocking news. He played with us since he was a child, always showing passion and dedication. "He was a kind, sensitive boy, actively involved in local initiatives. His memory will live on in all of us." Aluisi's father Marco works as a policeman in the area and the local mayor said in his tribute: "There are no words to ease a parent's pain. "We offer a silent embrace to Marco and his family for this irreparable loss."
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Mum found dead in bed at Travelodge ‘after being discharged by hospital where doctors irreversibly damaged her brain'
A MUM who was struck down with a rare and debilitating condition took her own life seven years after she failed to recover, an inquest heard. Her family said 'her brain was irreversibly damaged' by the treatment she underwent. 1 Roisin Harron had been suffering with postpartum psychosis following the birth of her much-loved son Dominic in 2017. She was so seriously ill she needed 12 electro convulsive therapy (ECT) sessions but felt the treatment had affected her memory and cognitive abilities and 'became very upset at forgetting things', her family said. A diagnosis of bipolar disorder was given, which her family was sceptical of, and she was stabilised with the use of drugs including lithium. But after she was discharged from specialist mental health services and returned to the care of her GP, the civil servant took her own life. Her family said they felt she had been left with no access to familiar experts to talk to. The inquest at South London Coroner's Court in Croydon, south London, heard about Ms Harron's tragic spiral after she became a mum. Her family, including her dad Henry Harron, mum Margaret McMahon and husband Robin Miskovic, said it was 'impossible to underestimate the impact psychiatric medication had in Roisin's life.' They said: 'Roisin had been so unwell and such a risk to herself she was under the care of the psychiatric hospital. However there had been much progress over the years to 2024. 'She tried hard to help herself and seemed to want to do her best at the things that mattered to her - being a good mother, being good at her job and working hard on her relationships with family and friends. 'She worked on her appearance as she felt change might make her feel better, having her teeth straightened and also significantly losing weight as she had gained a lot of weight from medication use. The 15 signs a loved one is struggling with their mental health - and how to help 'It was clear to close family that beneath the smiling and friendly face that Roisin presented to the world there were very difficult struggles going on. 'There was still a deep and enduring depression and so many anxieties.' 'Roisin felt her brain was in some way irreparably damaged' The court heard Ms Harron had suffered bouts of depression from her teenage years which may have left her susceptible to postpartum psychosis. After the birth in October 2017 she suffered a week of "hypermania" - a severe form of mania - and was admitted to the mother and baby unit at Bethlem Royal Hospital in Bromley, which specialises in the treatment of antenatal and postnatal illnesses, remaining there until March 2018. As part of her treatment she was given the ECT sessions, with her family saying Ms Harron felt 'her brain was irreversibly damaged', leaving her unable to remember things. 'Roisin prior to her illness had an incredibly good memory. During her hospitalisation her memory became quite impaired,' the statement went on. 'This was partly down to the effect of her medication but also part of her treatment in Bethlem Hospital was an on-going course of 12 ECT sessions. 'Margaret and Henry were both shocked at the obvious damage to her memory and cognitive abilities at the time. 'The recovery from this appeared to be very slow and although her memory did improve greatly Roisin felt her brain was in some way irreparably damaged. 'She talked about having brain fog and became very upset at forgetting things.' Changes to medication When Roisin was given the diagnosis of bipolar disorder - a mental health condition characterised by episodes of extreme highs and lows, which can last for weeks - her parents contested this as there were no further manic or psychotic episodes following the one straight after the birth. She was given many drugs to try and stabilise her mood, but the trial and error nature of trying to medicate someone in her position left her feeling terribly anxious, the court heard. 'Over the next few years there appeared to be a lot of uncertainty from mental health services over Roisin's treatment,' her family said. 'Different medications were tried and doses often changed. Roisin was highly sensitive to even minor changes. 'Each time Roisin experienced anxiety planning the changeover and sometimes severe withdrawal symptoms. 'Robin believes that continual worry about medication and changes had a significant detrimental impact on Roisin's mental health.' 'Roisin put a brave face on' After a year of mood stability, Ms Harron was discharged from experts at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLAM) back into the care of her GP at the Paxton Green Group Practice in Gipsy Hill, south London. But her family said this often meant her having to traipse from pharmacy to pharmacy to get her drug prescriptions if they were unavailable, something which added greatly to her upset. 'Roisin put a brave face on (her discharge) but she clearly missed having some regular contacts that she had built up a good relationship with,' her family said. 'She had people to confide thoughts and feelings to that she was not able to do with her family and friends. She clearly felt she still needed mental health support. 'Instead of picking up her prescriptions from Lambeth Hospital she had to use local pharmacies. 'A new anxiety for her was not being able to access her medication. There were difficulties in the distribution and availability of many drugs. 'Roisin would have to track around various pharmacies hoping to find her prescribed medication. 'The negative impact of these changes in routines around her medication was significant.' Sarah Bourne, an occupational therapist at South London and Maudsley, said Ms Harron was referred to the OPTIMA mood disorders service, an outpatient programme for adults with bipolar disorder who have recently had hospital admissions, in August 2019. She 'engaged proactively' with sessions and was on five drugs as well as folic acid and B12, Ms Bourne said. 'She had a history of depression from 15 years and an episode at 21 at university when she took an overdose,' she added. 'She demonstrated resilience, courage and determination,' Ms Bourne said of her treatment, adding that Ms Harron didn't always recognise her own strengths. 'She had great family support and continued to work four days a week. I was very shocked to hear of her death,' she said. What is postpartum psychosis? Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health illness that can affect someone after having a baby. It affects around one in 1,000 mothers after giving birth. Many people who give birth will experience mild mood changes after having a baby, known as the 'baby blues', which usually only lasts a few days. But postpartum psychosis is different and should be treated as a medical emergency. Symptoms usually start suddenly within the first two weeks after giving birth and include: hallucinations - hearing, seeing, smelling or feeling things that are not there delusions - suspicions, fears, thoughts or beliefs that are unlikely to be true mania - feeling very 'high' or overactive, for example, talking and thinking too much or too quickly, restlessness or losing normal inhibitions a low mood - showing signs of depression, being withdrawn or tearful, lacking energy, having loss of appetite, anxiety, agitation or trouble sleeping sometimes a mixture of both a manic mood and a low mood - or rapidly changing moods feeling very confused If you think you, or someone you know, may have developed postpartum psychosis, see a GP immediately. You can all 111 if you cannot speak to a GP or don't know what to do next. Go to A&E or call 999 if you think you, or someone you know, may be in danger of imminent harm. Source: NHS Dr Aneesa Peer, consultant psychiatrist based at SLAM, said Ms Harron was discharged in April 2023 with her Bipolar Disorder in remission. 'When patients are dealing well and are stable for a year at least and they are on a good treatment regime they are considered for discharge,' she said. She added there was a one-year rule for discharged mental health patients that means they can be seen by an expert within four weeks rather than being added to a potentially longer waiting list. 'She herself didn't refer back after her discharge,' Dr Peer added. 'She was in communication with her GP, there was dialogue with her GP around her treatment and her treatment options.' Ms Harron's father Henry, a retired social worker, told the inquest he found the attitude towards his daughter's medication too 'blase.' 'It was one of the most anxiety-promoting things for Roisin,' he said to the court. 'Every time there was a medication change for Roisin since her son was born it caused a lot of anxiety and these were the trigger points. 'In the past she would have had support with these changes in medication and she didn't have that support.' Dr Peer replied, saying: 'Roisin was very astute around her medication. She would advocate for herself very clearly and concisely. 'This is not someone who is waiting on support, but I do appreciate that support is helpful when people have it and I do hear what you are saying. 'Patients come back to us all the time. The door is open. 'I'm not sure how we could have intervened.' Ms Harron's stepmother Siobhan Hier queried the number of deaths due to postpartum psychosis more than 12 months after birth and said she felt her stepdaughter's death was directly attributable to the condition, even though it occurred years later. 'The trigger was the birth,' she stressed. Ms Harron's GP, Dr Saif-Ur-Rehman Najeeb, said Ms Harron had not requested a referral back to mental health services, but said she had good insight into her condition. 'She didn't have any risk indicators,' he said. Cardiac arrest and overdose Ms Harron was reported missing and was found fully clothed in a bed at the London Crystal Palace Travelodge on June 17, 2024. She had taken a huge overdose of at least nine prescription drugs alongside ibuprofen. Dr Mihir Khan conducted a post mortem and found Ms Harron to have died of cardiac arrest and an overdose. The Royal College of Psychiatrists estimates that between 600 and 1,200 mothers experience psychosis each year in England and Wales. It is a medical emergency that causes high mood, depression, confusion, hallucinations and delusions and usually occurs within two weeks of birth. If left untreated, it can increase the risk of suicide and in rare cases put the baby's life at risk too. Suicide continues to be the leading cause of direct maternal death between six weeks and 12 months after birth, accounting for 39 per cent of deaths in this period. Assistant coroner Victoria Webb recorded a verdict of suicide and noted her having suffered postpartum psychosis.
