Lost my son from obstructive sleep apnea

by Cathy P.
(Ann Arbor, Michigan USA.)

My son Brendan was 23 when we found his lifeless body in his room in our family home. He has suffered from OSA since he was a toddler. I am a Registered Nurse and knew very well.

I would frantically shake him to consciousness when he was as little as two. Finally, the ENT agreed to remove his tonsils and adenoids. His first sleep study occurred at the age of 15. It was misread and we were discharged.

When he was 17, I noticed he was declining with his ability to wake up and his snoring vibrated the house. I decided to demand another study at a children's hospital.

The doctor called me the very next day to inform me he was dangerously hypoxic at night. We had an immediate follow up for mask fitting. It went well. Brendan never slept a night without his CPAP until the day he died, June 4, 2016.

I do wonder if the machine he was recently upgraded to had possibly failed. In hindsight, his symptoms tanked out again with the newest model he had for only a couple of months. The SD card has mysterious information recorded that the specialist can only speculate on.

Either way, I lost him forever.


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May 09, 2018
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by: Remy

Dear Cathy, I'm so sorry to hear of the loss of your son.

Thank you for sharing the story on my website. But please let me know when you think it's time to remove it. I know it must be painful.
Apr 08, 2019
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by: GAL-NY

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. So very heatbreaking. My son also had sleep apnea at the age of 3. We had his adenoids removed and tonsils shaved at the time of his ear tube insertions. He improved tremendously in speech and of course breathing at night. He is 11 but still snores. I’m wondering if I should get a sleep study done for him as well. Maybe my husband too as I listen to him stop breathing next to me while I’m typing this.

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