A mother has paid a touching tribute to her son who has died following a sudden asthma attack a month before his 15th birthday.
Jake Watson collapsed outside his home on Sunday night with a severe asthma attack that left him with no heart beat and without oxygen for an hour and a half.
Paramedics tried to resuscitate him but it took nearly two hours for doctors in A&E to get his heart started again.
However, his brain had been starved of oxygen for too long. He was pronounced dead in Noble’s Hospital at just after midday on Monday.
Mum Leanna said the ‘one little ray of hope’ was that Jake is donating his organs so others could continue to live.
Jake’s stepdad Mark is fighting in the Thriller in the Villa boxing event tomorrow night, with proceeds going to Hospice Isle of Man. A JustGiving page has also been set up in Jake’s memory to raise extra money for island’s hospice.
Leanna said from the family’s home in Westmoreland Road, Douglas: ‘Jake lost his life after an asthma attack. It was sudden and very fast with no warning.
‘Ambulance and hospital staff were absolutely fantastic but unfortunately he was starved of oxygen for just under two hours leaving him brain damaged.
‘He was on a ventilator as he couldn’t breathe for himself. After a long night of antibiotics there was no change in his condition. The doctors did two final tests that confirmed the worst – that our son was brain dead from a lack of oxygen to his brain.
‘Jake will be an organ donor as we as a family think the world needs a little Jake in their lives. He was always the life and clown, a little sod, but our little sod. People have been amazing with messages and statuses on Facebook. He was a very loved young man.’
St Ninian’s High School student Jake was an Everton fan and his family’s Facebook appeal for fans in the match against Crystal Palace on September 30 to clap on the 14th minute has gone viral. Everton Way’s Facebook page has dedicated a post to Jake and the hashtag ‘#ApplauseForJakeWatson’ is also being shared.
Jake was diagnosed with asthma early in life as a result of numerous hospital journeys.
He struggled taking his inhalers and was often forgetting to take them.
Leanna said: ‘Although this is a hard time for us we have decided that Mark will participate in Thriller in the Villa as Jake loved to wind his stepdad up about getting hit. They have asked if they can dedicate their night to him and we are thrilled.
‘If Jake’s tragic end gets one parent to check inhalers in the house and to check their child is using them correctly then that would make a small difference.’
Jake leaves two brothers Jamie and Jonjo, step siblings Kyle and Chelsea and two half siblings Bethany and Sam.
Funeral details are to follow but the service will be open to all.