A father-of-two who died after contracting flu aged 32 has been remembered as an “outgoing guy who had a heart of gold” as his family say he would be alive today if paramedics had admitted him to hospital.
Eli Eyb, 32, was bedridden for a week after contracting the A strain of flu, an extremely common illness, at his son’s seventh birthday party the second weekend in July.
His family thought he was getting better after paramedics told them the worst was over when they visited his home in the Hunter region of New South Wales on the morning of Friday, July 19.
But Mr Eyb’s partner Skye was horrified to discover he had died in his sleep two days later on Sunday morning when she was unable to wake him.
NSW Ambulance has since launched an investigation.
“He absolutely adored and loved his children and his wife,” Eli’s father Neil told Daily Mail Australia.
“He was an outgoing guy with a heart of gold. It must have been a very crowded funeral.
“As a child he played football and he has many football teammates. He loved motorbikes and fast cars.”
Eli Eyb, 32, was bedridden for a week after contracting influenza A at his son’s seventh birthday party on the second weekend in July (pictured with partner Skye and son Seth)
His family thought he was getting better after paramedics told them the worst was over when they visited his home in the Hunter region of New South Wales on Friday morning. But the doting dad died two days later.
Neil relived the horror of discovering his son had died during the night.
“His partner was unsure because she was shaking him, thinking he was fast asleep,” she said.
“But then he realized that his eyes were open and he was cold.”
Neil, who was a registered nurse for 40 years, said his son worked with artificial stone for several years before becoming an apprentice cabinetmaker after suffering lung damage.
“His wife told me that when he came home from work, he was covered in white silicone dust from the granite,” Neil added.
‘He wouldn’t hug his children until he had showered and cleaned himself because he had everything stained on his beard and clothes.
“He didn’t want his family to be exposed to that dust.”
A ban on artificial stone, often referred to as “modern asbestos,” came into effect in Australia on July 1 following a rise in silicosis diagnoses in those working with worktops, slabs and panels.
Silicosis is a type of lung disease caused by inhaling small silica particles, which are commonly sprayed into the air when cutting artificial stone.
Eli’s father Neil said his son’s lungs were damaged after spending three years working with artificial stone, now banned in Australia.
Mr Eyb was due to marry his partner Skye next year on their 10th anniversary and the couple were planning to honeymoon in Japan (the couple are pictured together).
“When my son was there working and cutting the granite, there was no PPE or anything,” Neil added.
‘It was last year when he had a really bad time with his lungs, he was having trouble breathing and all that kind of stuff.
“He went and had scans and everything else done and from what I could see, they found black spots on his lungs.”
However, Neil said the coroner’s report did not mention the possible role silicosis played in his son’s death.
“His lungs were full of filth and he had a very bad throat infection,” Neil added.
“And from what I understand, he drowned in his own fluids.”
With his four decades of experience as a nurse, Neil believes his son should have been admitted to the hospital.
‘That the paramedics did not detect the pneumonia in the severity it was in and told him he was fine, that he would pull through, is wrong.
‘You can tell if someone has pneumonia by listening to the back of their chest, and I don’t know if they did that.
Mr Eyb was remembered as “an outgoing man with a heart of gold” (pictured with his young family).
“If they had captured him, he would be alive today.”
A NSW Ambiance spokesman said the organisation “extends its sincere condolences to the family and friends of Eli Eyb”.
“The safety of our patients is always our top priority,” they added.
‘An internal investigation is ongoing and we will communicate with Mr Eyb’s family as this review progresses.
“As the matter is under review, it is not appropriate to provide further comment at this time.”
Mr Eyb had planned to marry his partner Skye next year on their 10th anniversary and the couple were planning to spend their honeymoon in Japan.
Skye plans to change her last name to his to become a “fully formed member of the family,” Eyb’s father said.
He leaves behind a son, Seth, 7, and a five-month-old daughter, Ingrid.
TO GoFundMe PageCreated by Neil’s wife and Mr. Eyb’s stepmother, Lynell Eyb, it has so far raised more than $8,000 for his funeral expenses.
“Losing a husband and a father so unexpectedly is something that will never heal,” Eyb wrote.
‘This family will never be the same without him, and neither will anyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.
“He was incredibly kind, loving, funny, caring and hard-working. He worked very hard every day of his life to provide for his family, whom he loved so much.”
This is not the first tragedy to hit the heartbroken family.
Five years ago, Mr Eyb’s older brother died of a drug overdose in Sydney.
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