A much-loved young dad has died suddenly, leaving his pregnant partner and two young sons devastated.
Lockie Seddon, 20, from regional Victoria died on November 24 after contracting a golden staph infection that spread to his brain.
Mr Seddon’s aunt Danielle Sherer told Daily Mail Australia it all happened so quickly.
‘It just started with a little cut on his lip and the GP said it’s like a bite or something,’ Ms Sherer said.
The next morning, Mr Seddon and his partner Claire Hoogendoorn knew something was very wrong.
‘Lockie woke up the next day, his eyes were so swollen and bulging out of his head, and he just said to his partner, “I’m dying”,’ Ms Sherer said.
Mr Seddon was rushed to the local hospital and placed in an induced coma.
Unfortunately the hospital was not equipped to provide the necessary care the young dad’s critical condition required.
Lockie Seddon (pictured) from regional Victoria died on November 24 after contracting a golden staph infection that spread to his brain
‘Claire was just the love of his life. Been together six years, for people so young that’s pretty incredible.’ Mr Seddon and Ms Hoogendoorn are pictured with their sons Mason (left) and Jax (right)
‘Obviously being a small regional hospital, they weren’t able to cater to all his needs, they brought him straight to Melbourne,’ Ms Sherer said.
Mr Seddon was airlifted to The Royal Melbourne Hospital and ‘never woke up.’
His sudden death has rocked the close-knit family.
‘He was healthy one day, right? Had a little thing on his lip, and the next day, that was it,’ Ms Sherer said.
Mr Seddon’s untimely death has even left medical experts shocked.
‘The ICU specialist that was looking after Lockie said that he has never seen a golden staph infection do this,’ Ms Sherer said.
Mr Seddon’s wife has been left wondering if there was anything she could have done to prevent his death.
‘When we spoke to the specialists, I said to them, “Was there any way of knowing?”‘ Ms Sherer said.
‘Claire was really worried that she’d missed something and it was her fault.’
The response helped Ms Hoogendoorn ease her feelings of guilt.
‘They said there was no way of anyone knowing, and there was nothing that anyone could do,’ Ms Sherer said.
‘I guess that’s a bit bittersweet for Claire to hear, but it’s also, I think, what makes it so much harder for everyone to get their heads around.’
Ms Sherer revealed Mr Seddon’s family, including Ms Hoogendoorn, sons Mason and Jax, his mum Tam, father and brother and best mate Tyler are understandably distraught and shattered by his sudden death.
Mr Seddon was the beloved father of two young boys, Jax (left) and Mason (right)
‘They’re just very stressed. Claire has the two little boys that she’s trying to help through this process as well.’
Ms Sherer said Ms Hoogendoorn and Mr Seddon were a perfect couple.
‘Claire was just the love of his life. Been together six years, for people so young that’s pretty incredible.’
Mr Seddon’s death is even more tragic as Ms Hoogendoorn is pregnant with a girl who will never get to meet her dad.
‘Claire’s finally got a baby girl on the way, she’s 15-weeks-pregnant with their baby girl.’
She said Mr Seddon was ‘respectful, loyal and a real mummy’s boy’.
‘Poor mum used to get calls at least fifty times a day from him!’ she said.
Ms Sherer said Mr Seddon’s mum is shattered.
‘No one ever expects that they’re going to have to pay or organise a funeral for their 20-year-old, healthy child.’
Ms Sherer said Mr Seddon was ‘a real character’ and ‘cheeky and quirky.’
‘I have photos that just crack me up’.
‘Every interaction I had with him, everyone’s asked me, “How would I describe him?”
‘I would just say, ‘a cheeky little sh*t!” she said.
‘Just the cheekiest smile and in every conversation he had, he always had something smart to say.’
Ms Sherer has created a GoFundMe to pay for Mr Seddon’s funeral and any remaining funds will be put towards the children’s future.
She said she wants ‘to give Lockie the funeral and send off he deserves, and hopefully raise funds to help his family’.
‘And if we reach our goal, and we’ve got anything left over, basically what I would like to do is put it in some sort of trust fund for his kids,’ she said.
‘Lockie leaves behind many broken hearts, but also amazing memories.’
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk