NEED TO KNOW
- 38-year-old Louise McKenzie of England was found dead at home on Christmas morning after visiting a doctor’s office mere hours earlier
- Louise complained of dizziness and a headache before she died
- Her body was found by her 18-year-old son, who said his world has since been “turned upside down”
A 38-year-old woman in England was found dead on Christmas morning, mere hours after visiting a doctor’s office.
Louise McKenzie of Merseyside, a county in northwest England, had visited the doctor with her 18-year-old son, Reece Barrett, on Christmas Eve, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Reece told the local outlet that his mother was diagnosed with an inflamed pancreas during the appointment, but was told not to worry by medical staff. He added that she was feeling well enough to do some last-minute Christmas shopping after the appointment, and that she was even tidying up the house when they got home.
However, Reece said that his mother began to complain of a headache and dizziness, prompting her to sit down and rest later in the day. The teen said he went out to have a few drinks and celebrate the holidays with friends, noting that he said goodnight to Louise when he got home.
“She was upstairs asleep,” he recalled while speaking to the outlet. “She was snoring her head off like she always would. I went in, said ‘Goodnight, I love you,’ and gave her a kiss. She said, ‘Merry Christmas. I love you.’ ”
Reece said that he got up the following morning at around 11 a.m. local time and found his mother “curled up on the bathroom floor.”
“I think I knew straight away she had passed away,” he told the Liverpool Echo.
“I just went into a panic. I rang my girlfriend, and she told me to ring an ambulance. The person on the [emergency line] told me to perform CPR. I thought she had started breathing, but I think it was just the last of the air leaving her body. The paramedics, my girlfriend and her mom came, and I was just distraught,” he continued.
“I hoped the paramedics could save her, but I think I already knew she was gone,” he added.
“My world has been turned upside down. Her Christmas pajamas are still upstairs. She’ll never get to wear them or see everything I had promised her. It’s a killer,” Reece told the outlet.
Reece said it is believed that his mother died of a brain hemorrhage and that he has since learned that the headache and dizziness she experienced were potential symptoms.
“We know now they’re symptoms, but at the time we had no clue it was a bleed on the brain. I hate myself that I didn’t take her to the hospital. Instead, I told her to just sit down,” he added while speaking to the Liverpool Echo.
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Reece, who works full-time as a civil servant and has only ever lived with his mother, is currently staying with his girlfriend and her family until he can figure out a way to cover his basic cost of living alone, as well as take care of his beloved dog, a pitbull named Virgil.
“I’ve only ever lived with my mom. I’ve never paid bills, never paid for shopping, and with her passing away we’re going to lose the house. I’m going to have to live by myself on a basic wage,” he told the outlet.
His girlfriend’s mother, Vicki Bradshaw, has since established a GoFundMe for the 18-year-old.
“As you can imagine, the stress of losing your mom, your home and potentially your beloved dog all over the Christmas period has been a terrible time,” Bradshaw wrote on the fundraising page, adding that Reece was told he cannot take Virgil with him if he receives public housing through the local council.
She added, “We are also reaching out to family and friends and anyone else who is able to donate to help support him financially to get set up in his apartment and to maybe raise enough funds to go towards rent on a small house for 6 months that might allow him to keep his dog for the time being until he can consider his options.”
“He is a hardworking person … we would be extremely grateful for any support you can give,” she continued.
As of Saturday, Jan. 10, the GoFundMe has raised $21,000 toward an ultimate goal of approximately $32,000.
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