A heartbroken family have lost their son after he was bitten by a deadly snake without even realising it.
Beau Horan, 16, did not realise he had been bitten on the foot while in the yard of his family’s home in central Queensland, Australia. The teen walked inside the house before he suddenly collapsed. An ambulance rushed him to a nearby clinic, where he was then airlifted to a larger hospital and placed on life support.
Tragically he died from the venomous bite on Wednesday evening, with his devastated mother, Bek Eddy, at his bedside. “This close to Christmas, it’s just awful,” family friend Shaun Connolly told reporters. “I’ve worked with Beau’s mum for many years, my wife is very good friends with her too, so they’ve all become like family to us,” he said.
Mr Connolly described Beau as outgoing and “a real little gentleman” who was loved by his sisters and brought joy to many members of the small community where he lived. He has started a GoFundMe appeal on behalf of Beau’s mum to help support the family cover medical expenses and funeral costs. “They’re lovely people. They’re a really lovely family. This is just unbelievable,” he added.
Mr Connolly described Beau as outgoing and “a real little gentleman” who was loved by his sisters and brought joy to many members of the small community where he lived. He has started a GoFundMe appeal on behalf of Beau’s mum to help support the family cover medical expenses and funeral costs. “They’re lovely people. They’re a really lovely family. This is just unbelievable,” he added.
The fundraiser has received more than $4800 in just 12 hours as donations pour in for the grief stricken family. “His mum’s not good,” Connolly said. “Her husband and their family are down there, so she’s got support. They’ll be heading home tomorrow, I believe.”
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He described how the news had rocked the small community, where “everyone knows each other”. It is believed that Beau was bitten by an Eastern brown snake – an incredibly dangerous species native to Australia. The fact he did not know he had been bitten indicates the snake may have been a juvenile, news.com.au reports.
A spokesperson for the Queensland Ambulance Service described how Beau was already in a “life-threatening condition” when paramedics arrived at his home at about 1.50pm. He was rushed “under lights and sirens” to a local hospital 20 minutes away before being airlifted to a larger facility. Beau’s family praised the “urgent medical care he received and efforts to save him” on the crowdfunding page.
“Beau was a vibrant, compassionate, loving young man with so much to live for with a bright future ahead of him,” the fundraiser read. “His passing has left an indescribable emptiness in our hearts and the family. Your generosity will provide Bek and Beau’s family with some relief as the family navigate this overwhelming loss. Any support you can offer would mean the world to the family during this incredibly difficult time. We are forever grateful for your love, prayers, and generosity.”
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