Sister of man who died from meningococcal speaks of his agonising final moments
The sister of a WA teenager who died suddenly from meningococcal has spoken about the last agonising moments of her brother's life.
Lloyd Dunham, 19, passed out in the car on his way to the airport in Tasmania, and died later in hospital.
He was on his way back to his hometown of Albany when a simple cold suddenly turned into something much worse.
"He had been vomiting and I tried talking to him, but he couldn't talk to me," his devastated sister Lucy said.
"He was just making noises."
Lucy Dunham shared an unbreakable bond with her brother.
"He was very kind and generous," she said.
"I could always ask him for help with anything and he would help me."
On Saturday, she saw him succumb to meningococcal disease.
The siblings were on their way to the airport when he suddenly became very ill.
"It kind of looked like he was about to have a fit or something," Lucy said.
"We quickly pulled him out of the car and called the ambulance, and he was unconscious for about 20 minutes."
Lloyd briefly regained consciousness before he died.
On Facebook, a tribute from Lloyd's father reads: "My heart and soul is shattered into pieces by your sudden departure ... my sadness will never end."
Both Lloyd and his sister had a cold before their trip to Tasmania.
"Meningococcal starts out with flu-like symptoms," Dr Omar Khorshid said.
"I think a lot of people will just ignore those initial symptoms or go to their doctor and it won't be picked up straight away."
Lloyd Dunham contracted the W strain of the disease.
There is a free vaccine on offer for people most at risk at some schools and clinics.
Those in close contact with Lloyd Dunham have been given antibiotics.
