A devastated couple have taken a decision no parent should ever face after their beloved son Decklan Hayward suffered extensive brain damage.
Just hours after dropping off her son to school on July 19, doting mum Katie received a horrifying call from staff at Glenroi Heights Public School located in Australia’s Orange, New South Wales.
The seven-year-old boy, his distraught aunt Kaylah Hayward recalled, was “laughing and playing” with his friends at school when he choked on a cocktail frankfurter.
Despite the best efforts from the teachers and medical team, Decklan went into cardiac arrest and remained without oxygen to his brain for nearly 20 minutes.
The boy was airlifted to Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney and put on life support.
Eight days later, Katie and Decklan’s father, Robbie, took the heartbreaking decision to turn off the boy’s life support.
Ms Hayward wrote on a GoFundMe page she launched last week: “Unfortunately, after eight days on life support my sister Katie and Robbie have had to make a decision that no parent should ever have to and that is to let our boy grow his wings and go with the angels some time next week.”
The tragic decision was mentioned also to fellow parents at Decklan’s school.
On the Glenroi Heights Public School’s Facebook page, principal Tegan Davis wrote on Friday: “I would like to pass on a message from Decklan Hayward’s family.
“They would like you to know that Decklan is still with us and continues on life support. The family is considering turning off the life support some time next week.”
The principal then passed on her thanks to the school community for the “continued care and support” shown to Decklan and his family.
Paying tribute to the boy, the aunt added: “Anyone that ever met Decky knows he was the most bubbly, happy, funny kid and he will always have a special place in so many of our hearts.”
The fundraiser aims at allowing the family to give Decklan the “send-off he deserves”, the aunt said.
The current fundraiser goal, set at A$20,000 (£10,426) has almost been reached, with more than 400 people donating to it.
