Tragic man who choked on Mars bar was such a kind person
Family’s tribute to Luas passenger after verdict of accidental death
in the intensive care unit but later transferred to a six-bed ward where his family found him in a distressed state.
They raised concerns about the manner in which he was moved from the high dependency unit.
Dublin Coroner’s Court heard a care plan had been devised that Mr O’reilly would be moved to a single occupancy room for palliative care and his siblings were upset to find him on a ward. Consultant in Palliative Care at the Mater Hospital, Prof Karen Ryan, was asked if the nature of the transfer to the ward had any bearing on the tragic outcome. She replied: “No.”
Coroner Dr Crona Gallagher said “the damage was done” after Mr O’reilly had been deprived of oxygen following the choking incident on the tram.
Ms Buchanan said it was important to the Mr O’reilly was on Luas
family her brother should have dignity in death and once he was moved to a single occupancy room his palliative care was “second to none”.
In his report Dr Stephen Stuart noted the man had inhaled part of a Mars bar and suffered a cardiac arrest.
The cause of death was severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen caused by aspiration of a food bolus. The coroner returned a verdict of accidental death. A LUAS passenger who choked on a Mars bar and later died had a “heart of gold”, his family said yesterday.
David O’reilly stepped off a tram and collapsed at Abbey Street in North Dublin on October 29, 2015. He died on November 17.
After an inquest yesterday, Frances Buchanan paid an emotional tribute to her brother.
She said: “He was so kind. He had very little but he would give you anything.”
Mr O’reilly told how the family of seven siblings lost both parents when they were very young and this had a traumatic effect on her younger brother.
She added: “He loved sport. He called around often to visit my sons and they would watch football together, they were very close.
“He was very religious and had visited Medjugorje and expressed a wish to go back. He had managed to turn his life around.”
The resumed inquest into the death of the 49-year-old, from Kingscourt, Co Cavan, heard a number of people got off the Luas at Abbey Street in a bid to help.
Mr O’reilly was rushed to the Mater Hospital where part of a Mars bar was removed from his airway. He was treated