Marathoner Tom O’Neill, 22, died in his sleep.Photo:GoFundMe
GoFundMe
An avid marathon runner was just 22 when he died in his sleep on New Year’s Eve from a suspectedepileptic seizure.
“He was diagnosed with meningitis when he was three months old and then developed epilepsy," Tom O’Neill’s brother, Jack, told theGeelong Advertiser, viaSky News.
Tom was one of 12 children — and Jack shared a story with the outlet about the “type of caring person he was.”
“One of his friends from Gippsland had a tough day, so Tom drove up there that night, stayed for half an hour, had coffee with him, and then drove back the same night to get to sleep for work the next morning at six o’clock,” Jack told the publication.
Stock image of runners in Sydney.SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty
SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty
Despite his health struggles, Tom was an avidmarathonrunner, taking part in the Sydney Marathon in August,News.aureports. The publication adds that Tom, who had graduated from St Joseph’s College Geelong, would volunteer to help with races if he wasn’t running himself.
Epilepsy is generally known to cause episodes where the muscles grow stuff andjerk uncontrollably; theMayo Clinicnotes symptoms can also include loss of consciousness or confusion. Those with epilepsy have a risk of sudden unexpected death: “The cause is unknown, but some research shows that it may occur due to heart or respiratory conditions.”
“Forever 22, forever loved, forever missed.”
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source: people.com
