The family of Halle O’Brien, 19, from Merseyside, had to make the decision to switch off her life-support machine after she became suddenly ill on a night out and was rushed to hospital
A mum has told how her “unique and beautiful” daughter fell ill on a night out and tragically died in hospital after picking up a blood infection.
Halle O’Brien, 19, from Litherland, was in line for a first class degree at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk and wanted to become a teacher. But in January, 2019, she became unwell while she was on a night out with her fiancé Eddie Rooney.
Her mum, Heather O’Brien, received a phone call thinking it was from Halle but it turned out to be a paramedic on the other end of the line telling her to act urgently.
Heather said: “I had a call from Halle’s phone, but it was the paramedic to tell me to get to the hospital as quickly as I could. By the time we arrived Halle was so poorly and was being worked on by doctors giving her CPR. We went up to the intensive care unit and Halle was rigged up to all sorts of machines.”
Halle was infected with group A streptococcal septicaemia, a life-threatening blood infection. It caused Halle to contract meningitis, even though she had been given the meningococcal vaccine. She had two heart attacks and never regained consciousness at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. She died on January 27, 2019, after her life-support machine was switched off.
Heather told the Liverpool Echo: “For 12 hours we sat around the bed with her and we had to make the decision to turn the machines off as she wasn’t responding to anything that the hospital tried. We have all been left heartbroken and life will never be the same for us. We try to carry her with us on our journey, trying to do things as a family and remember her while also raising vital funds for the charities that have helped us.”
Paying tribute to her, her family said at the time: “Halle had achieved everything she had set out to at her young age so far. She was getting firsts on her university course, making her family proud and was in a loving relationship. Halle was a true enigma, a gem. To be remembered for the incredible impact she had upon everybody she was in contact with and she set an incredible example of how to be a young woman. She was a rare combination of beauty and brains, however humble to it all. Halle was unique.”
Her family established the Halle O’Brien CIC in 2020, aiming to improve children and young people’s academic and social development by supporting families with the cost of extracurricular activities. For the fourth consecutive year, the CIC has donated to Edge Hill University’s Care Experienced and Estranged Students (CEES), hoping to bring a touch of Christmas cheer at what can be a difficult time.
A total of 100 students who are spending Christmas on campus have received hampers full of festive goodies in her memory. One of the recipients this year, Taylor Davies, said: “It was lovely to have received the hamper. It’s really made my Christmas better! The hampers were full of gifts, including chocolate, self-care products and a nice mug to have hot chocolate.
“Since leaving care, I’ve found the quality of support from authorities can vary, so Edge Hill’s dedication to supporting people with experiences like mine and joining with the Halle O’Brien CIC for this thoughtful, personal gift is just brilliant.”
Halle’s Hub, a community shop in Litherland, supports many of the CIC’s projects by taking in donations to sell at more affordable prices. Heather, who is the co-founder of the company, said: “Working with Edge Hill to treat students who may not get to enjoy a traditional Christmas is something we know Halle would wholly support. We take great care in choosing the gifts, packing the hampers with things to keep the students feeling cosy and cared for – gifts we know we’d like to receive!”
Phillippa Dunning, head of student support at Edge Hill, said: “This is the fourth Christmas Edge Hill has been fortunate to team up with Halle’s mum Heather and grandmother June, the founders and driving force behind the Halle O’Brien CIC. Many of our students staying in halls don’t have the kind of family support enjoyed by many of their friends and the CIC’s generous donation of these gift hampers lets them know the Edge Hill community is thinking of them over the festive period.
“Our wonderful little elves in Student Services get in the buggies to deliver the hampers around campus and we always look forward to seeing the smiling faces and sharing the joy in Halle’s memory.”
Joanna Ellmore, student support officer, added: “Getting out and about on the hamper deliveries is such a special time of year for us. As the team providing dedicated on-course support for these students, we see first hand the impact these gifts have. Our students always appreciate the care and attention to detail shown when choosing the gifts and packing the hampers. Thanks so much to the family and the CIC, it’s a real pleasure to support this wonderful initiative.”
