Brisbane student Alex Shorey fighting for life in Taiwan after unknowingly ingesting rat poison

The family of a Brisbane student who is fighting for life in a foreign country after unknowingly ingesting rat poison has mounted a desperate bid to raise $170,000 to fly him home for urgent treatment, saying “every day his vitals just get worse”.

Alex Shorey is fighting for life in a Taipei hospital. Picture: GoFundMe

A Brisbane university student on a dream exchange program is fighting for life in a foreign country after unknowingly ingesting rat poison, causing his vital organs to shut down.

Alex Shorey’s desperate family are trying to raise more than $170,000 to urgently fly him home from Taiwan for treatment to save his life.

The University of Queensland student, who comes from Toowoomba, was just weeks away from finishing his one-year exchange program in Taipei when he was poisoned by Super Warfarin, a catastrophic poison that stops the blood from clotting.

Mr Shorey’s aunty, Elizabeth Shorey-Kitson said Alex woke up one morning earlier this month covered in blood.

“He went to hospital, they said they fixed him up and then he was sent home, but he started haemorrhaging again,” Ms Shorey-Kitson said.

This happened “three or four times”, going in and out of hospital since Good Friday, before the hospital finally took him in on April 18.

Alex Shorey pictured in 2017 at the Fairholme College formal in Toowoomba.

But his body was already severely damaged and he was rushed to the intensive care unit at Taipei Medical University Hospital.

“Because there was such a delay he’s been bleeding in his organs.

“His blood is like water.

“It’s been a rollercoaster, but every day his vitals just get worse.”

Mr Shorey’s organs are severely damaged, he is in respiratory failure, barely conscious, and is suffering anaemia.

The hospital tried to help thicken Mr Shorey’s blood with a shot of vitamin K1, but his body had a severe reaction, further complicating his already fragile condition.

Ms Shorey- Kitson said they didn’t know how he ingested the poison, but suspected it may have been in street food which he ate.

“It’s not like he was doing anything reckless, and now this beautiful, vibrant 24-year-old is in a very bad way.”

Mr Shorey’s parents flew out to be with him on Easter weekend, and have been working tirelessly with Royal Prince Albert Hospital in Sydney who have a specialty toxicology team on standby.

They have organised a medical charter flight with an intensive care team to fly to Taiwan and bring Mr Shorey home, but the cost starts at $172,000 and isn’t covered by insurance.

“We’ve got the plane on standby, it’s all set to go, we just need the funds.

“He’s got fluid in his lungs so he can’t fly commercial in a standard plane, he needs to fly at a lower altitude.”

Mr Shorey is studying a business marketing and Chinese degree and was on an exchange at Tamkang University.

He was just a few weeks away from flying home when he ingested the poison.

Mr Shorey grew up in Toowoomba and attended Toowoomba Grammar School.

To donate, visit the Go Fund Me here