I was overseas when I found out my son, 18, had a cardiac arrest – we rushed home but he died days later

A DEVASTATED mum has paid tribute to her "loving" son who suffered a cardiac arrest while she was in Canada and died days later.

Naomi Issitt, of Wolvey, Warwickshire, was in Canada when she received a call all mums would dread.

The 42-year-old Brit was told by doctors in England that her youngest son, Jamie Rees, was fighting for his life after suffering an unexplained cardiac arrest.

Naomi rushed to the nearest airport and were back in the UK less than 24 hours after had Jamie collapsed during a night in with friends in Rugby on New Year's Day.

Sadly, the youngster passed away five days later at University Hospital in Coventry.

Now Naomi is trying to raise money to get more defibrillators to help others like her son, the reported.

"You hear about these things happening at a sports game. But actually, for each one happening at a sports game, there's probably another 100 that happen to people just carrying on in their everyday lives like Jay was," she said.

She also thanked the "amazing" staff in the Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit for giving the family more time to spend with Jamie before he died.

Naomi said: "Considering Jamie never opened his eyes again, they treated him like he was their son.

"They let us sleep in the bed with him. They let his family come in and out whenever they wanted.

"We were allowed to sit with him all night and talk to him. I honestly don't know how anybody ever copes if they don't get to spend that time."

A LIFE FILLED WITH PROMISE

Jamie was a keen fisherman and was about to finish the second year of his plumbing course at Rugby College and had dreams of running his own plumbing business with classmates, Naomi said.

The mum said: "He was just a lovely boy. So determined and he loved to travel.

"He had massive intentions of going to lots of places. He loved his friends and family.

"He was always happy. You never see a picture where he's not smiling and laughing.

"He was shy and very quiet, but, as his tutor said, whenever he did speak everyone else was quiet because it was always funny or relevant.

"He was just a genuinely lovely lad. I'm sure every mum says that, but he really was.

"The amount of messages and what people have said about him is proof of that. Everyone just loved him, so much."

Jamie was selfless and registered as an organ donor at 16. He cared deeply about giving to others - which ultimately led to a young girl's life being saved.

Naomi said: "It was a big thing to him which is why we put a post on social media outlining who benefited from his organs.

"One of the recipients of part of his liver was a baby girl and it actually saved her life on the night he died.

"That would mean absolutely everything to Jay. Some light out of total darkness, absolutely."

Jamie will be desperately missed by friends and family, including his eight-year-old sister Myla.

But his passing has been particularly hard for his older brother Callum, who is 21.

Naomi said: "It's been difficult for his brother and sister. Callum very much so. He was very close to Callum.

He was always happy. You never see a picture where he's not smiling and laughing.

Naomi Issitt

"They used to go places together. They did a driving experience together in November so Callum is glad they managed to do things like that together.

"Callum went to New York with him as well. They've got lovely memories, but, yes, he misses him really badly.

"And so does Myla. She's obviously struggling because she's so much younger and doesn't understand why.

"Because we haven't got a reason. I think it just makes it harder.

"He was just so bright in everything he did and such a massive part in what everybody did.

"He was the centre of the family and we miss him so much."

She added: "We don't even know how to function without him any more. He was just the absolute base of our whole routine."

Naomi has so far raised £6,770 to buy defibrillators in hopes of making them more accessible in Rugby.

Jamie would have had a 75 per cent chance of survival had one been around, Naomi said. Instead, he only had a five per cent chance of surviving, despite the best efforts of friends who performed CPR.

"It tells its own story really," Naomi said.

"We're just shocked it's taken something like this before these things get dotted around. It could save so many lives.

"He wasn't doing anything sporty at the time. He was just out with his friends, having a laugh and just didn't stand a chance without a defibrillator."

Jamie's funeral will be held at Rainsbrook Crematorium at Hillmorton on February 22.

"It's going to be a light-spirited funeral, not sadness. Jamie would hate the thought of everybody being sad," Naomi said.

"Everyone will be wearing black hoodies in honour of Jay because that's all he ever wore!

"It's not black as really sad or in mourning, it's purely because that is what Jay wore and would want everyone to be comfortable."