A grieving family is raising awareness after the sudden and unexpected death of a much-loved tradie due to complications from undiagnosed diabetes.
Melbourne concreter Tyler Corrigan, 35, was found unconscious at his home by a friend earlier this month after going into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition caused by a severe lack of insulin and high blood sugar.
He was rushed to hospital where he developed aspiration pneumonia and went into cardiac arrest, which caused hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy.
The lack of blood flow and oxygen damaged his brain and he died surrounded by his family.
Unaware he had diabetes, Mr Corrigan had only been unwell for a short time as the infection quickly took hold of his body.
‘It happened quickly and without warning, nothing more complicated or dramatic than that,’ the celebrant told mourners at his funeral.
‘His body simply got sick faster and harder than anyone around him understood at the time.’
Mr Corrigan’s family have spoken out in the hope another death can be avoided.
Melbourne concreter Tyler Corrigan died from complications from undiagnosed diabetes earlier this month
Tyler’s family has spoken out in the hope another tragedy can be avoided
They are struggling to understand why his diabetes was not detected sooner.
‘Tyler had never been diagnosed with diabetes and this tragedy would have been averted if he had,’ his sister Tania Clinton told the Herald Sun.
‘The doctors should have picked it up when he went, because I know he went to see them a few times.’
Mr Corrigan loved sports from a young age and looked after his health.
DKA is often the first sign of type 1 diabetes, according to healthdirect.gov.au.
Symptoms include extreme thirst, tiredness, frequent toilet visits, blurred vision, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain and wounds that don’t heal.
More severe symptoms include fast breathing, drowsiness and confusion.
Mr Corrigan’s family urge anyone not to ignore symptoms and to seek medical attention.
Tyler had only been unwell for a short time as the infection quickly took hold of his body
Tyler’s family are struggling to understand why his diabetes was not detected sooner
He had a dramatic start to life.
Mr Corrigan’s birth made headlines in Melbourne in 1990 after his mother Cheryl Bennett went into labour at home.
She called a taxi but did not make it to hospital in time.
Tyler was born at home, delivered by his teenage sister Tania with the help of taxi driver Norm Bratton.
‘Norm (the driver) was holding me up and I was biting his finger while Tania was guiding the baby,’ Ms Bennett was quoted at the time.
