Gladstone teen Beau Horan’s freak snake bite death reveals hidden danger

The death of a Queenslander from a snake bite has highlighted a less well known fact about one of Australia’s most venomous creatures.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of Beau Horan, a 16-year-old who tragically passed away after being bitten by a snake in Gladstone.

A Queensland teenager who died in hospital after a suspected eastern brown snake bite didn’t realise he had been bitten until he walked inside his home and collapsed.

Beau Horan was struck on the foot by a brown snake at the Wurdong Heights home just outside Gladstone in Central Queensland on Monday.

Stepsister Monique Eddy told media Beau had been in the backyard of his family home when he came inside saying he felt unwell and collapsed, sustaining a head injury in the fall.

Ms Eddy said paramedics were called to the property and found a snakebite at the back of his foot.

An ambulance raced the Beau to Gladstone Base Hospital, and he was later flown to Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he was placed on life support.

Beau died late on Wednesday evening, with his devastated mother, Bek Eddy, by his side.

“This close to Christmas, it’s just awful,” family friend Shaun Connolly told news.com.au.

Mr Connolly described Beau as an outgoing kid and “a real little gentleman” who was adored by his sisters and brought “joy” to many people in his small community.

“I’ve worked with Beau’s mum for many years, my wife is very good friends with her too, so they’ve all become like family to us,” he said.

“They’re lovely people. They’re a really lovely family. This is just unbelievable.”

Mr Connolly has started a GoFundMe appeal on behalf of Beau’s mum to help support the family cover medical expenses and funeral costs.

The fundraiser had already received almost $20,000 in donations.

“This is a really small community. We’re not a big town. Everyone knows each other, people look out for each other. This hits hard. It’s touched everyone.“

Eastern brown snakes are incredibly dangerous and their venom is the second most toxic in the world, beaten only by the taipan, also an Australian native species.

However, deaths aren’t common as the eastern brown are seen as being reclusive.

EASTERN BROWNS CAN KILL IN UNDER 15 MINUTES

Experts says eastern brown are the only snake in the world that regularly kill a person in less than 15 minutes, even though fatal bites are rare.

David Voss, a snake catcher in the Gladstone region, told media bites from eastern brown snakes were often painless leaving victims unaware they had been struck.

When they do attack, they tend to be aggressive and fast-moving, according to Australian Geographic.

Given that Beau didn’t know he had been bitten, emergency services told the family that they believed the snake was a juvenile.

Beau was described as a “vibrant, compassionate, loving young man with so much to live for with a bright future ahead of him”.

“His passing has left an indescribable emptiness in our hearts and the family,” Shaun wrote on the GoFundMe page.

“As we try to process this devastating loss, we are reaching out to help Beau’s mum, Bek Eddy to cover the unexpected medical and funeral costs.

“Your generosity will provide Bek and Beau’s family with some relief as the family navigate this overwhelming loss.

“Thank you for honouring in memory of Beau’s life with us.”

Originally published as Gladstone teen Beau Horan’s freak snake bite death reveals hidden danger