A Melbourne family is demanding answers over the death of their 15-year-old son in the hope of preventing another tragedy.
In August 2021, Max McKenzie, 15, had an anaphylactic reaction to eating apple crumble at his grandmother’s house — unaware it contained ground walnuts. The family had carefully managed his anaphylaxis for years.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Melbourne family demand answers after son’s death
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At the onset of symptoms, Max used his EpiPen — an adrenaline autoinjector to treat anaphylaxis — called triple-0 and was taken to Box Hill Hospital via ambulance with his mother, Tamara.
On the way to the hospital, his condition deteriorated rapidly.
“Tamara was in the front seat of the ambulance and Max said he was going to die — and those were his last words,” his father Ben McKenzie told 7NEWS.
“What you’re supposed to do when you have an (allergy) action plan is use your EpiPen and call triple-0. Max did that but he still died.
“There were so many things that went wrong after that point that led to Max dying when he shouldn’t have.”
Ben, an experienced emergency physician, arrived at the hospital to find his son’s deteriorating condition was not being promptly addressed.
“He just needed a tube to help him breathe … then his heart stopped and as soon as the tube was in, his heart started again but it was too late,” he said.
Ben intervened and directed the resuscitation efforts, ultimately directing and helping to perform a life-saving tracheostomy, something he said “shouldn’t be a parent’s job”.
Unfortunately, it was too late. Max died of a severe brain injury 13 days later.
His family said they still haven’t been told what went wrong.
Tamara said the situation was made “more distressing” when the hospital treated them as a “legal liability, rather than humans who have lost their son”.
“We are not seeking blame, we are demanding accountability and reforms to prevent other families from enduring similar tragedies,” she said.
“(Max) would want us to make people accountable and we’re using his strength to keep going.”
The family claims the review process lacked independent oversight, the healthcare provider failed to communicate crucial details with them and failed to report the incident to Safer Care Victora until five months after Max’s death.
Years on, the couple are still grieving the loss of their boy who could “talk to anyone” and “tried everything” — including cooking, debating, cadets and choir.
“He was full of energy from the minute he was born. He was loud and he didn’t stay still,” Tamara said.
Eastern Health and Safer Care Victoria declined to comment, claiming it would be inappropriate before a coronial inquest.
However, an inquest date is yet to be confirmed.
Deaths from anaphylaxis in Australia increased by 7 per cent per year from 1997 to 2013 and hospital admissions increased five-fold, according to research from 2021.