Mystery virus leaves Ashmore family in need after horror medical scare
An Ashmore family have narrowly survived a horror medical scare. Now they’re calling on the community to help them survive the road to recovery.
Gold Coast
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Young Gold Coast father Jason Brown and his family are trying to navigate life after he had a shock heart attack caused by what doctors are calling a mystery virus.
Mr Brown, a plasterer by trade, was a relatively healthy 34-year-old father with no previous health conditions. But after collapsing at work, life saving CPR performed by his apprentice was the only thing that kept him alive while waiting for paramedics.
By the time he arrived at the Princess Alexandra hospital, Mr Brown’s deteriorating condition saw him quickly placed on life support.
His wife Loren Brown, 31, recalled the terrifying moment she received the news her husband had brushed shoulders with death.
“I kept calling his phone hoping an ambulance driver would answer,” Ms Brown said. “They eventually did and they told me they had resuscitated him. When I got to my mum’s place I vomited everywhere.
“There are no words to describe the feeling that you’re going to lose your soulmate and father of your child.”
Doctors told the family that an unidentified virus had caused the otherwise healthy father’s heart to stop beating. Despite undergoing multiple tests and a biopsy, it is still unclear what virus caused the heart attack.
Mr Brown, has since undergone surgery to insert an ICD defibrillator to prevent future heart attacks and is on the mend. But it’s likely he will never be able to return to his profession.
“He goes on stilts and holds a blade, there’s a lot of things that could go wrong if something happened again,” Ms Brown said.
“Jason can’t drive for six months, he likely can’t work as a plaster at all. We honestly don’t know what he’ll do - I feel numb to it all right now.”
As the sole income earner for the family, the medical scare has not only robbed Mr Brown of his health, but has robbed the family of their only means of support and stability.
The family wil now have to navigate raising their one-year-old daughter Luka, while keeping up with their increasing mortgage and skyrocketing costs of living.
“We’ll have to sell my car - we can’t really afford it,” Ms Brown added.
Family friends Kaitlyn Smith and Mallory Cuthbertson have since started a GoFundMe page to raise funds for the family. The money is expected to help them keep up with their mortgage, bills, groceries and other costs of living.
“I don’t feel worthy of everyone’s generosity,” Ms Brown said. “I am so grateful and I know in one month’s time those donations are going to be life-saving.”
“We’re going to be able to keep our house, and Jase can focus on recovering without stressing about money”
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Originally published as Mystery virus leaves Ashmore family in need after horror medical scare
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