Wasp sting kills dad of four after allergic reaction

22 June 2024 , 08:24

1338     0

Eamonn Hogan died following a shock reaction to a wasp sting (Image: SM-IR Irish Pictures )

A beloved dad-of-four died following a severe reaction to a wasp sting caused by an allergy he wasn't aware of having.

Eamonn Hogan was in his van on the school run last year when he was stung by a wasp and went into anaphylactic shock. The dad, from Kilcoo, Northern Ireland, collapsed on the side of the road outside the vehicle, and his youngest daughter, Alexandra, alerted emergency services.

Despite swift action from bystanders - who gave him CPR - and the swift arrival of the Northern Ireland Air Ambulance, the dad died after spending two days at hospital in intensive care. His family has opened up about the "very difficult year" following his death on June 13, 2023.

Mr Hogan's family have warned people with severe allergies to carry an EpiPen (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Speaking to Belfast Live, Eamonn's wife Corrina said she and her family were "grateful" to have said goodbye to the dad, and encouraged people to carry an EpiPen for potential allergy emergencies.

She said: "We lost Eamonn so suddenly. We are grateful that Eamonn had every possible chance and that me and our four children had a little time at hospital to be with him to say goodbye. Eamonn didn’t know that he had a wasp/bee sting allergy; we would also like to encourage anyone who has a known allergy to carry your EpiPen as this can be the difference between life and death."

Brit 'saw her insides' after being cut open by propeller on luxury diving trip

Eamonn's family has since worked hard to raise money for the charity that brought him to hospital and allowed them to have those vital final moments. They recently presented the Belfast Air Ambulance with £1,000, with Corrina thanking her colleagues at the Department for Communities' Make the Call for helping raise the significant sum.

The mum also thanked the bystanders who stopped and helped her husband following his deadly reaction, and staff at the hospital ICU for providing emergency care. Kerry Anderson, the charity's Head of Fundraising, wished the Hogan family "strength in their grief" following the donation.

She said: "It was lovely to meet with the Hogan family and our heartfelt thoughts continue to be with them, wishing them strength in their grief. We are all humbled that they have been able to think of others, giving hope to a future patient and family who need the services of Air Ambulance. It is only with continued support that the charity is able to play its part in sustaining this service, with a fundraising need of almost £7,000 every day.

"We would like to thank everyone who contributed in Eamonn’s memory for their kindness."

Shauna Corr