Sunday night after my wife’s annual family reunion my brother in law returned home around 2 pm. He had mentioned not feeling good and said he felt pressure in his upper stomach, almost chest area. He said it felt like he had to burp, or called it gas bubbles. He laid down for a bit before packing up his stuff. Once he arrived home he took a shower and fell asleep until 730.

After his significant other returned home they ate some Thai food and around 9pm he started complaining again about his stomach pressure, he attempted to throw up because he thought that would relieve the pressure. He couldn’t, so he laid down and was saying he was hot then cold and having hot flashes. We spent all week in the sun floating rivers and having good times with the fam so I guess he didn’t think much of it.

He laid down saying he was tired again and they both fell asleep. His sig other woke up around 12 midnight yesterday early morning to my brother in law making slight movements and groaning, she attempted to wake him up and flipped the light to see Adam having a seizure. She called for his roommate to dial 911. Operator instructed them to attempt CPR while paramedics were on the way. The paramedics arrived and attempted full life saving measures, defibrillation, for 30 mins.

Here is where I’m racking my brain and trying to figure their out.

The doctor at the hospital told them after 30 mins of life saving that he was too young to call at the scene, keep attempting defib and bring him in. In total he was worked on for 72 mins however they never once found a pulse. My brothers heart never started again. He was 39

After the call to us at 1am we woke up and headed into town, by the time we reached the on ramp the chaplain called us and told us Adam had just passed. We couldn’t understand what happened. We got to the hospital, sat with the body until the dr came in and told us this:

“We worked on Adam for 72 mins. We were unable to find a pulse again and called him at the hospital. We have no idea what he died of so we call these unexplained deaths. Most likely the medical examiner won’t ask for an autopsy as well, especially at his age”

Especially at his age! So he’s young enough to be brought in and worked on for 72 mins, burns all over my brothers chest from defib, but too old for an autopsy to find out why my brother just went to sleep and never woke up? My wife is shattered, her only full blooded sibling gone at 39.

The unknowns are weighing so heavy on my soul right now, this is such a tragedy.