An Australian mother is heartbroken after her 16-year-old son tragically died after being bitten by a brown snake, but says he will live thanks to organ donation.
Beau Horan, 16, was working in the garden on his family property in Wurdong Heights, in the Gladstone region of Queensland, on Monday.
He thought he had scratched his foot while working in the bushes, but his sister saw a brown snake darting away.
Beau rushed back inside and moments later collapsed, hitting his head on a wall and the tile floor.
“I was at work when it happened, and his sister and stepdad were with him. He was on the phone with his stepdad when he collapsed,” his mother, Bec Eddy, told Daily Mail Australia.
“They called an ambulance and, after assessing him, rushed him to the hospital, where he was administered antidote.”
That night, Beau fell into a coma and when staff discovered he had a serious brain bleed, he was flown to Brisbane Hospital.
Beau fought for his life for three days but tragically passed away on Thursday morning, leaving behind two sisters.
Beau Horan (left), 16, was working in the garden on the family property in Gladstone, Queensland, said his mother Bec Eddy (pictured right).
Beau Horan (right) was rushed to hospital where he was given an antidote, but staff discovered a brain bleed.
The family is still unsure if the snake bite directly caused his brain hemorrhage.
“He was very involved in school; he loved robotics and was passionate about video games, always playing with his friends,” Bec explained.
“She had a cheeky sense of humor, was incredibly loyal to her sisters, and always managed to stay positive, no matter what life threw at her. She could shake off a bad day.
‘He was very excited to start Year 11 and had big dreams of becoming a teacher. He was incredible, truly the love of my life.
“This was the first brown snake we had seen in three years, although we have always been aware of the danger.”
Mrs. Eddy revealed that her son was an organ donor and, thanks to his generosity, will give the gift of life to four other people.
He also wanted to raise awareness about the risks of snake bites.
Brown snakes are the most common cause of fatal snake bites in Australia, but it is rare for people to die from them. About 3,000 snake bites are reported each year, resulting in approximately two deaths per year.
Bec Eddy said her son was excited to start Year 11 and dreamed of becoming a teacher.
Beau Horan was very involved in his school and had a passion for robotics, his mother said.
Beau appears in the photo with his sisters.
The eastern brown snake is found throughout eastern Australia, from northern Queensland to southern Australia, and is extremely venomous.
A Queensland Ambulance Service spokesperson confirmed a teenager was transported to Gladstone Hospital on Monday in a life-threatening condition after a suspected snake bite to the foot.
A spokesperson for Gladstone Hospital said the patient was later transferred.