Asthma attack leaves Gold Coast father with massive brain damage.

Gareth Aucock’s family are still at a loss to understand how something like an asthma attack left him with massive brain damage.

AN asthma attack has left a young Gold Coast dad with a devastating brain injury, needing around-the-clock care as he learns to walk and talk again.

Gareth Aucock, 26, had so much to look forward to and was starting a new life in Labrador with his girlfriend and two-year-old daughter Violet, when he suffered a near-fatal attack in August.

Family members are still at a loss to understand what set off the catastrophic attack, which happened in the middle of the night.

Gareth’s partner Juliet performed CPR for 20 agonising minutes and then, after he had been rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma, it was an anxious three-week wait and see.

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Gareth Aucock was rushed to hospital following an asthma attack, and now spends each day recovering with the help of mum Sue (pictured) and the rest of his family. Photo: Supplied

His parents, who spend each day by his side as he recovers in the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit in Brisbane, say progress is slow.

the family celebrates each footstep, word and hand squeeze.

“It will be a long road ahead but we’ll walk that road together as a family,” Mrs Aucock said. “I don’t think Gareth will be as he was before, but in what ways we’re not sure yet. It will be years of recovery.”

Some days were tougher than others, she said.

“He’s an old soul and he’s got a really good sense of humour, he does have his moments where he sheds some tears and he can’t believe he’s like this, but he’s very determined and he’s always been a hard worker,” Mrs Aucock said.

Gareth Aucock, 26 with girlfriend Juliet (L) and mother Sue (R) by his side before his asthma attack.

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The family called for better access to medication for asthmatics, to make the condition easier to treat.

“Most asthmatics rely on Ventolin, the blue inhaler, and fail to get a prescription for their preventer which is more expensive,’’ she said.

“We would like to see an asthma register set up so that they don’t have to book a doctor’s appointment to get it.

“We’d like people to take asthma more seriously. They don’t realise the implications of it. We’d like people to recognise the importance of having a plan in place for their asthma.”

A Go Fund Me page launched by Gareth’s co-workers from Woolworths, where he worked for more than 10 years, has raised more than $8000 in one month to help with his rehabilitation.