Parents of Alex Shorey issue update on son’s condition

The parents of a Toowoomba uni student who ingested rat poison in Taiwan have revealed new details about their son’s recovery.

The parents of Alex Shorey have issued a statement providing an update on their son's condition.

The parents of a Toowoomba man who ingested rat poison while on student exchange in Taiwan have revealed their son has “a long road ahead” in his recovery.

In a desperate plea to bring their son home, the Shorey family raised $200,000 in public donations to bring their son, Alex Shorey, back home on a medevac flight.

The 24-year-old university student was left fighting for his life in a Taipei hospital after he ingested superwarfarin rat poison.

Taiwanese authorities are now investigating the matter but have rejected suggestions Mr Shorey may have ingested rat poison from street food or illicit drugs.

A Taiwanese woman, who was reportedly Mr Shorey’s girlfriend, has been named by local police as a suspect, the ABC is reporting.

Authorities told the ABC the woman was restricted from leaving the country and evidence had been seized during a home raid.

Toowoomba man and University of Queensland student Alex Shorey is fighting for life after suffering from a cardiorespiratory collapse while in Taiwan.

Mr Shorey’s parents, Stephen and Julie Shorey, said their son was being treated by a medical team at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital and a toxicology specialist had confirmed “very high levels of the toxin in his body.”

“I believe his medical repatriation actually saved his life and while Alex still has a long road ahead in terms of his recovery, his condition is improving,” Dr Shorey said.

“Alex says he just wants to come home to Toowoomba, sit in the garden and pat his little puppy Barney.

“We are so grateful our son is alive.”

On the night of his departure from Taiwan, Dr Shorey said his son’s condition began to deteriorate as he had a bad reaction to the treatment medication he was receiving.

Dr Shorey said his son had not had another reaction since he stated receiving high doses of oral vitamin K and that he was now making good progress in his recovery.

He said his son was also being treated for a partially collapsed lung and adrenal insufficiency.

Thanking the University of Queensland, media, rescue team and medical teams in Australia and Taiwan, Dr Shorey said he was most grateful to the public for generously supporting the fundraiser.

The parents of Alex Shorey have issued a statement providing an update on their son's condition.

“Alex’s treating physician has confirmed that returning to Australia this week also saved Alex’s life, so our biggest thank you must go to the generous Australians whose donations brought Alex home,” he said.

“People from all walks of life – many who didn’t even know Alex – wanted to help.

“We will never forget that. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

The couple said they would not be making any further statements as they did not want to jeopardise the investigation and wanted to focus on supporting their son through his recovery.

Dr Shorey said all excess funds received through the fundraiser would be donated to the medical rescue organisation which brought his son home to “help another family like ours in the future.”

Video footage captured from Mr Shorey’s hospital bed shows the 24-year-old expressing gratitude to the public.

“Thank you everyone who helped me get home,” he said.