Sebastian’s Fight for His Life

At 5:18 PM on Saturday, September 17, my phone rang. It was my dad. I thought he was calling to make plans to see us the next day. Instead, with a broken voice he said “Listen, it’s your brother, he’s in extremely critical condition. Every second counts.”

Minutes earlier, Sebastian was swimming in his pool. He went underwater and didn’t come out. Worried about how long he’d been underwater, his partner pulled him out.

He had no vital signs.

With the help of some neighbours—who were medical professionals—they performed CPR and brought Sebastian back to life while an ambulance rushed to his aid.

Doctors later confirmed that Sebastian suffered pulmonary failure underwater, followed by a cardiac arrest.

A specialist rushed to the hospital to extract chlorinated water and other contaminants from his severely irritated lungs—one of many hurdles he must jump to survive.

With the help of a ventilator, Sebastian is fighting for his life.

He is currently in a medically induced coma while his brain overcomes severe swelling: a common effect of near-drowning.

Unlike Canada, Mexico’s healthcare system is two-tiered. The ambulance rushed him to the closest private clinic. The first 24 hours of care (ambulance, emergency services, a specialist, intensive care and CT scans) cost slightly under $10,000 CAD. 

As of Thursday, his medical bills are close to $35,000 CAD. 

He is expected to remain in the ICU for at least a few more days until his condition improves.

Sebastian is not a tourist in Mexico. Earlier this year, he relocated with his partner as a Canadian / Mexican citizen. Travel insurance was not an option and they don’t have additional medical insurance to cover the costs of an unexpected accident like this.

Today, we are asking the support of our community and the hundreds of people whose lives were touched by Sebastian in his many adventures from Toronto to Alberta, BC, Australia and Mexico.

Donations will cover all his medical costs and the inevitable cost of recovery.

With your help, we can ensure Sebastian gets the care he needs as he fights for his life and recovers from this horrifying accident.

On behalf of the family and his partner, Jaz, we sincerely thank you for standing with us during these trying times.