A Dundee mum has paid tribute to her “most amazing, kind and loving little boy” after he died aged nine.
Stuart Gauld, from Whitfield, passed away in mum Toni Hunt’s arms in hospital in Edinburgh on Monday – just over a fortnight after becoming unwell with a mystery illness.
Dundee FC fans are now planning to remember Stuart with a minute’s applause during the ninth minute of their game against Kilmarnock at Dens Park on Saturday.
Fans are being encouraged to take part – with Stuart’s family planning to attend the game.
Mum ‘grateful’ to Dundee fans as tribute planned for Stuart Gauld, 9
Toni told The Courier: “Stuart was a huge Dundee fan and so am I.
“I am so happy and grateful this club is doing this in his memory and I will be going along to see this.”
Toni says Stuart first became unwell on Monday April 29 with a high fever.
She says she took him to her GP but was told the P5 Rowantree Primary School pupil had a virus.
However, his condition – although seeming to improve by the Thursday of that week – deteriorated significantly on the Friday and in the early hours of the Saturday morning she called for an ambulance, when he could not speak to her or take a drink.
Toni said: “The paramedics gave him medication to try to stabilise before taking him to Ninewells where he was admitted to the high dependency unit.”
While in hospital, Stuart continued to get worse and suffered high temperatures and several seizures.
Toni said: “Stuart was then taken to the Sick Children’s Hospital in Edinburgh where he was put on kidney dialysis.”
His blood pressure was also low and continued to drop.
‘He fought so hard but he died in my arms’
Toni said: “He fought so hard but he died in my arms at 11.47am on Monday (May 13).
“The rest of the family were also with him including his sisters, Ocean Reine, two, and two-month-old Amber Rose.
“Stuart was sedated and knew nothing about what was happening.”
Toni says she does not know what caused Stuart to take unwell.
She says doctors discussed the possibility he was suffering from conditions known as Norse – New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus – and Fires, Febrile Infection-Related Epilepsy Syndrome, but is awaiting the results of a post-mortem.
She said: “He was a happy, healthy wee boy. I am still in shock.
“I hope the PM will give us some answers.
“This is so difficult and each day it just gets harder.
“Stuart was the most amazing, intelligent, caring, kind and loving little boy.
“He had autism and ADHD and knew things I didn’t know – he loved to talk about eras in life and knew lots of stuff about the Millennium and everything.”
‘I will fight for answers’
In a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, Toni wrote: “(I) am super proud of the boy you are and am so glad you gave it your all to fight for so long.
“You’re my everything and I will fight for answers and I will fight to change all of the things that happened to you to stop it from happening to other families.
“Fly high, my boy, and wait for me at the gates when it’s my turn.”
Toni said she wanted to thank everyone for their support during this difficult time.
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