Aussie boy, 5, dies in hospital after getting headache on holiday

Andre Daisy was meant to start prep the day after he died.

A five-year-old Townsville boy has died in hospital just four days after he complained of a headache while on a holiday with his family.

Andre Daisy had visited Brisbane with his family and on Thursday, February 2, they left the city to begin the 15-hour drive home.

In a GoFundMe started by Andre’s aunty, Michaela, she explained how his parents assumed he must’ve picked up a flu or something similar.

Andre Daisy smiles wearing a shirt, vest and bowtie.
Andre Daisy, 5, had a headache on the morning of his family's trip back to Townsville. Source: GoFundMe

“Andre woke up with a headache and had a bit of a spew but was still his normal happy little self, so his parents thought he just had a tummy bug or a flu,” she said.

“Andre was with his mum Trudy, his stepdad Jarick and his three sisters. As they got to Gladstone just before 2pm, Andre started to have a seizure so they pulled over and called an ambulance. By the time they got to hospital he was seizuring more so they decided to put him to sleep to rest his body.”

That same day, the decision was made to fly Andre to the Queensland Children’s Hospital back in Brisbane. But the following morning the family was met with devastating news.

Doctors told Trudy that Andrew had no brain function and swelling on his brain.

Left: Andre Daisy gives a thumbs up in a blue footy uniform. Right: Andrew holds up a sign that reads: 'My first day of kindy'.
Andre was due to start prep the day after he died. Source: GoFundMe/Facebook

“The doctors still tried their hardest to save him, they took him for surgery to drain and release the pressure but unfortunately it caused his brain to swell more,” Michaela wrote.

Trudy said her son’s brain swelled to “five times the size”, and doctors suspected meningitis could’ve been the cause.

“He had no brain function. It was devastating,” she told the Townsville Bulletin.

On Saturday afternoon, there were no signs of improvement and doctors informed the family there was nothing more they could do for the five-year-old.

Before he passed away on Sunday morning, the family bathed him for the last time and his dad did his hair. He was meant to start prep school the next day.

“It was heart-shattering,” Trudy told the Bulletin.

“Andre was my only son. He was so sweet — just such a loving and cheeky little boy. He always looked after his sisters.”

The family are now planning a party in celebration of Andre’s life.

The GoFundMe, which is almost at $12,000 of its $15,000 goal, will go towards bringing Andre home from Brisbane and his funeral.

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