Rachel Mikel’s son Elijah was just 2-years-old when he was diagnosed with severe autism.
He remained non-verbal as the years passed, but slowly developed into a happy and healthy 18-year-old who faced life’s challenges head on.
Since he harbored a love of the outdoors, he and his caregiver would often venture along the nature trails of Clinton Lake, Kansas. One day in July 2018 they decided to venture out, as it was particularly hot. So hot, in fact, that the temperature reached 102 degrees, paving the way for a silent danger that would prove fatal.
15 minutes into the walk, Elijah sat down and refused to get back up. When his caregiver grew concerned, she called his mom to explain the odd behavior. Little did Rachel know that the phone conversation would herald the beginning of a nightmare that would change her life…
Posted by Rachel Mikel on Friday, July 13, 2018
After merely 15 minutes of walking on a nature trail, Elijah’s strange behavior began to unsettle his caregiver. She called his mom and explained what was happening.
“Something’s not right,” she told her. “He sat down and won’t get back up.”
Rachel’s initial thought was that her son was simply being stubborn, as he could sometimes be. Not wanting to take any risks, however, she hurried to the trail. As soon as she saw Elijah, she knew it was more than him being stubborn: Something was seriously wrong.
Posted by Rachel Mikel on Friday, July 13, 2018
Paramedics were soon called to the scene. When they arrived, they measured Elijah’s temperature at 108 and instantly began an effort to cool him down as they rushed him to hospital. He was suffering from heat exhaustion.
“Things looked like they were improving,” his mom said.
Tragically, though, his temperature didn’t drop enough, and Elijah passed away as a result of his heart being damaged.
Now, mom Rachel is aiming to spread a warning over the potential complications of heat exhaustion, in the hope that no more families need be affected by it.
“Drink water, take a break, go inside. This is not a joke, this is not something that happens to other people. This is real and he was 18 and very healthy, so, be cautious,” Rachel said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7xYrbHm230
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Rachel and her family at this most difficult of times. To lose a loved one is always a terrible tragedy, but to do so completely out of the blue, and in such circumstances as Elijah’s passing, must be almost impossible to bear.
Help us spread Rachel’s warning by sharing this article. You could save a life!
