An 18-year-old living in Queensland has died in a tragic accident that took place while he was celebrating what his family have described as 'his greatest accomplishment'.
Sonny Blundell was originally from New South Wales in Australia, but just a month ago he'd moved to his apartment in Queensland after landing a new job in concreting.
Sonny's older sister, Izabella Cromack-Hay, told The Daily Telegraph her brother had moved to the suburb of Southport 'to start a new life with his girlfriend', adding: “Moving to Queensland only a month ago, which was his greatest accomplishment, he worked the hardest concreting and making himself known."
The teenager's celebrations continued on June 23 when he was with his best friend, Mitchell Bullard, and attempted to perform a backflip at his new apartment, The Daily Telegraph reports.
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The following morning, Blundell was found unresponsive in his apartment by a roommate and was rushed to Queensland Hospital ICU, where he remained in a coma while 'battling a brain injury'.
Cromack-Hay explained that her brother had 'hit his head in the lounge room on the ground' the evening before; an incident that left him with a headache.
The sister added: "[He] woke up, went to the toilet vomiting and then passed out. That’s when his best friend found him unresponsive in the morning.”
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After being taken to hospital, Sonny suffered 'multiple strokes' as well as a bleed which led to him 'needing a drain in his brain', according to a GoFundMe page organized by Cromack-Hay.
Sadly, one week after the incident, Cromack-Hay added an update to the page that Sonny had 'grown his wings and passed away'.
"We are all in disbelief and major pain," she wrote in the update. "I ask everyone to still support our family as we need to bring Sonny home as his sisters are waiting for him. We are all here in Queensland trying our hardest to organize this horrible time and prepare ourselves."
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She continued: "Please ask to donate for Sonny’s Mum, his sisters, family and Sonny’s funeral. Rest In Peace our Beautiful boy."
Money raised from the fundraiser is set to be put towards funeral costs, as well as the cost of returning Sonny's body to his family in New South Wales.
The dangers of head trauma
Trauma or injury to the head can have knock-on effects which impact the brain, for example through a violent blow or jolt.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, mild traumatic brain injury can affect your brain cells temporarily, but more serious traumatic brain injury can result in bruising, bleeding and other physical damage which may result in long-term complications, or death.
Symptoms of moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injuries include:
- Loss of consciousness from several minutes to hours
- Persistent headache or headache that worsens
- Repeated vomiting or nausea
- Convulsions or seizures
- Dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes
- Clear fluids draining from the nose or ears
- Inability to awaken from sleep
- Weakness or numbness in fingers and toes
- Loss of coordination
If you have received a blow to the head that concerns you or causes behavioral changes, it is advised that you seek the help of a doctor.
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You can donate to the fundraiser for Sonny's family here.
Emily Brown