Local boy dies on Seven Mile Beach
(CNS) Updated Monday: Police have now named the 16-year-old boy who died yesterday evening after collapsing on Seven Mile Beach. he was John Michael Shaw of West Bay. Police said that his death is believed to be asthma related and is not being treated as suspicious at this time. According to the RCIPS, at about 5.30pm on Saturday 16 April, medics arrived at the beach in a response to a report that the local teenager, who was a student at John Gray High School had collapsed. He received CPR and was transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital in George Town, where he was later pronounced dead.
The West Bay Uniform Department is continuing the investigation.
A police spokesperson expressed sincere condolences to the family on behalf of all emergency services and said an RCIPS family liaison officer had been appointed.
Category: Local News
Rest in Peace John-Michael ?
Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends during this difficult time. RIP John Michael Shaw.
May you find strenght and courage ar this difficult time. Sincere condolences to the family and friends.
A real tragedy and my heart goes out to his entire family. Asthma is a serious condition and one with which I am personally familiar. Always carry a rescue inhaler and if you are having an attack, please ensure that you are driven to ER immediately. Under no circumstances should you wait for an ambulance, as your chance of survival is time critical and rarely will an ambulance, with the logistics involved, get you to the hospital in time. To Members of the Public, please, if you observe an individual in difficulty, please put him / her in the nearest car and drive as quickly as possible to ER. Every second matters. CPR will not help.
Driving an individual to the hospital yourself may actually pose a greater risk to them. EMTs can provide lifesaving drugs, emergency oxygen and mechanical ventilation. Not only this, but you can’t manage shock or help an individual if you are driving them yourself. There are also considerations like traffic, which could mean it’ll take you longer to get the ER than an ambulance.
I understand you only mean the best, but in most scenarios this advice would likely lead to worse outcomes.
This is not about “meaning the best” it is about ensuring one’s chances of survival. Understood that in most scenarios the general advice would be to wait but a true asthmatic attack is rapid in its onset and life-threatening. Given the speed of deterioration during an attack, urgent treatment is required. Waiting, in situ, for an ambulance to be dispatched / arrive is not sensible. I speak as a lifelong asthmatic and waiting around whilst you “suffocate” because your airways are constricting, is not an option.
From a public service perspective, all areas to which the public have access (hotels, public buildings, etc) should have an asthma protocol with a trained member of staff being present at all times in order to deal with such an event. CPR training is not sufficient given that asthma is effectively a hyper allergic reaction which will require the immediate application / injection of adrenaline / antihistamine based medication to counteract the immediate effects of the attack, ensuring stabilization and subsequent hospitalization.
Know who brings that injection of adrenaline and/or antihistamines? The ambulance crew.
Who can intubate the patient if needed? The ambulance crew.
Who can provide CPR and/or defibillation while still underway to the hospital? The ambulance crew.
Who can alert other vehicles to make way to speed transport to the hospital? The ambulance crew.
Know what the American Lung Association says to do in an asthma emergency? They say call 9-1-1.
Yes, but America is a 1st world country with 1st world response times. In Cayman you can expect 3rd world response times. If you are lucky.
Yes, and in the UK they have people dying after waiting hours for an ambulance. Problems happen everywhere but on average Cayman’s responses are not 3rd world. In the 3rd world you don’t have an ambulance. So please cut the whining if you have nothing constructive to add. To a discussion about the best response, on average, to an asthma attack.
I totally understand and agree with you. I have a 8 year old child with asthma and he had a an arrack at home one morning. I gave him is pump and it helped very little and I could see that I was going to loose my baby. I called and ambulance and after waiting over 10 minutes and his color started to change and his breathing got short my husband decided he was going to drive as he could not allow his son to die. We drove out of hour home in Bodden town 10 minutes after calling the ambulance and we met the ambulance at the smith road stop light at which point I did not as the hospital was 2 minutes away. This speaks to the length of time they sometimes take to respond. When I got there the doctors has work on him for some time before his breathing came back to normal. The doctors told my husband that he made the right call to bring him down instead of waiting because he would not have made it otherwise based on how bad the attack was.
What j dis however was to maintain contact with the 911 operator updating them as to where I am at intervals so should the ambulance has been closer to me then they could have taken him over and start treatment.
RIP precious child. My heartfelt condolences to the family. May God help you all to find peace and comfort in this very sad time. I am asthmatic and I never leave home without my pumps as I can experience an attach from just getting upset, overheated, frightened etc.Please allow me to give a few words of advice to anyone suffering from this disease or has a child, friend or loved one who does, search for all the information you can on breading techniques and control as it could be life saving or at least you will be able to buy time to get medical help. Asthma is very serious and should be taken ad such. I wouldn’t wish it on my worse enemy.
This is such a tragedy. Condolences to the young man’s friends and family. May you take comfort in your memories of happier times.
Where on SMB did this happen? Time for lifeguards with CPR training and equipment?
RIP young man.
I knew the boy. Honestly one of the nicest, friendliest kids I have met. Would always greet you with a ‘hi’ and a smile. This is so tragic. Condolences to all his friends and family.
A Teacher
So sad. God bless the family.
(Please no sarcastic and negative comments from trolls for once).
May he rest in peace. God bless his soul. We all walk that same path.