'MY BIGGEST FEAR'
Heartbroken DIY SOS dad demands answers over mysterious death of disabled son, 18, alone in hospital during lockdown
THE HEARTBROKEN family of a teenage disabled boy whose life was transformed by DIY SOS are demanding answers over his mysterious death during lockdown.
Darren Hudson says his son Ollie, was admitted to hospital with gastric illness and was spending the night for tests.
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But when he turned up to visit him at Hull Royal Infirmary, he was told a nurse had found 18-year-old Ollie unresponsive and had died alone.
In April last year, the moving episode telling the story of Ollie, who was born with Hydrocephalus – known as water on the brain – was aired.
It was due to be shown again during lockdown on April 18 as channels struggled to fill their schedules.
However, just before it was aired again, Nick Knowles and the team were told that Ollie had passed away on April 16.
DIY SOS STAR
Nick led tributes to the "wonderful" DIY SOS star by writing: "We @DIYSOS send condolences to Darren & family on the sad passing of wonderful Ollie who is missed & was so loved."
Ollie's death was not coronavirus related, but the family have still not been told the exact cause and are now demanding answers.
Roofer Darren, from Hessle, East Yorks, was left paralysed and wheelchair bound when he developed cauda equina syndrome - a serious condition where the nerves at the very bottom of the spinal cord become compressed.
Darren's childhood sweetheart Sarah passed away later that year on Boxing Day.
He told “It was April 16 when I lost him and the BBC did not know.
All I got told was a nurse went back to him and he was unresponsive."
Darren Hudson
“So I asked if the repeat could be postponed. The original film was done two years ago and aired a year later.
“He was just by himself. We had four ambulances out in a month. We did not know what was wrong with him.
“We thought he was suffering from something gastric with his stomach. He was in three times. The fourth time they said they would keep him in.”
Darren was just about to head in to visit his son when he received a call saying someone at the hospital needed to speak with him.
He thought it was going to be about his diet, but he was told “unfortunately, he has passed away”.
'NEED ANSWERS'
Darren added: “We desperately need some answers.”
The family were told his death was due to SUDEP which is the sudden, unexplained death of someone with epilepsy.
His father said: “All I got told was a nurse went back to him and he was unresponsive. I do know how long it was since that nurse had seen him.”
A full inquest is due to be held in Nottingham and is likely to shed light on the cause of death.
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Darren said: “We have no answers at the moment. Every other time he has been in hospital we have never left him. We have slept with him. But this is the way it is with the covid situation
“Leaving him was one of my biggest fears because he could not speak and no one knew him like we knew him.
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“We have been told nothing else other than the SUDEP but there is a full inquiry going on for the coroner.”
The Sun Online has contacted Hull Royal Infirmary for comment.
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