A Melbourne family is grieving the sudden and unexpected death of 35-year-old concreter Tyler Corrigan, who succumbed to complications from undiagnosed diabetes. Corrigan was found unconscious at his home earlier this month, having gone into diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a life-threatening condition characterized by a severe lack of insulin and dangerously high blood sugar levels.
He was transported to the hospital, where he subsequently developed aspiration pneumonia and suffered cardiac arrest. The lack of oxygen to his brain resulted in hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy, causing irreversible damage. Corrigan died surrounded by his family.
His family has expressed confusion and distress regarding the circumstances of his death, noting that Corrigan had reportedly visited doctors a few times prior to his passing. "The doctors should have picked it up when he went, because I know he went to see them a few times," his sister Tania Clinton told the Herald Sun. The family hopes that by sharing their story, they can prevent similar tragedies.
According to healthdirect.gov.au, DKA can often be the first indicator of type 1 diabetes. Symptoms can include extreme thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, blurred vision, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain, and slow-healing wounds. More severe symptoms may involve rapid breathing, drowsiness, and confusion.
The celebrant at Corrigan's funeral remarked on the swiftness of his decline, stating, "It happened quickly and without warning, nothing more complicated or dramatic than that. His body simply got sick faster and harder than anyone around him understood at the time."
Corrigan was described as someone who looked after his health and enjoyed sports from a young age. His family is urging the public not to ignore potential symptoms and to seek prompt medical evaluation if they experience them.
Corrigan's birth in 1990 also made local headlines when his mother went into labor at home and delivered him with the assistance of a taxi driver and his teenage sister before they could reach the hospital. 
