The tragic story of bouncer David Monteiro († 39)who died just days before Christmas, is a chilling warning to all. He attributed the back pain and stiff neck to poor sleep, but it was actually a deadly onset of meningitis. His family is now urgently asking the public not to underestimate the warning signs that can easily be mistaken for the flu or a cold, reports .
“Better to go to the doctor unnecessarily than to neglect something,” bequeathed the devastated relatives. David died on December 11, having planned a grand celebration of his fortieth birthday on New Year’s Day. “He wanted to celebrate because he had never celebrated anything before. He wasn’t that type of person.” said his sister Rachel.
Plans for the celebration were thwarted by a sudden infection of the protective membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. “Within days this cruel disease took his life,” stated the grieving nurse, who as a midwife and mother of two children takes the loss of her brother very hard. He worked as a security guard in Digbeth, Birmingham and loved his job. The problems started on Friday, December 5, when he complained of a sore back at work. He did not come to work on Sunday and sent a message to his mother that he was not feeling well. “He attributed it to the fact that he just slept badly, so he told his colleagues as well,” mentions his health problems.
The situation rapidly worsened on Monday, December 8, when, during a conversation with a roommate he had a seizure. Immediately another one struck him in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed meningitis. Early symptoms like vomiting, fever, fatigue or headache are often overlooked because they resemble common illnesses. Only later do more serious signals appear. It can be a rash that doesn’t fade when pressed, a stiff neck, confusion or sensitivity to light.
David’s brain was so swollen that he appeared very confused and restless when he arrived at the hospital. “It’s sad to think that he was there so distraught and probably didn’t even know what was happening to him. And there was no family with him at the time.” Rachel surmises with an uneasy feeling.
On the same day, he was put into artificial sleep and connected to pulmonary ventilation. At first the family did not realize the seriousness of the situation because he was a hardy man who worked even with a cold. But when Rachel visited him the next day, he didn’t look like himself. “It was sad to see someone you love with all these wires and IVs and machines. It was hard to be around them and not be able to talk to them or comfort them,” admitted.
On Wednesday, December 10, doctors stopped the sedation to detect brain activity, but tests showed none. “Literally the day before, you looked at his face and you saw he was still there. But the moment they turned off the sedation, it was clear he was gone.” she added.
Doctors told the family there was nothing more they could do and recommended disconnection from the devices. Rachel, along with another sister and cousins, gathered at his bedside on December 11 to say goodbye. They told him he could rest and not worry about the things he had struggled with in his life. The loss is still very fresh and painful for the family. They are currently raising money for David’s funeral, having already managed to raise over £3,000 (approx. €3,600) of their £5,500 (approx. €6,600) target.
She described her beloved brother as a social person, a jokester and someone who always wanted to make others happy. He loved to show off his physical and mental strength and deeply loved his family and friends. Now her main goal is to spread awareness about the symptoms of meningitis. “I don’t think he realized how serious it was. When you read about the symptoms, you see how similar they are to the common flu. Even if you think it’s something simple, it doesn’t hurt to get checked out.” she concluded. The funeral of the beloved brother is scheduled for January 28.
