A young Saanich father has died after a freak accident in a hostel in Guatemala, where he fell from the top bunk of a three-tier bed.
Fellow hostel guests sprang to his aid and called for emergency help. Nash Hellwig, 22, was taken to two hospitals but did not survive after surgery.
His mother, Jo-Anne Hellwig of Saanich, older brother Dylan of Ottawa, and Jo-Anne’s good friend Kim Anderson immediately flew to Antigua after learning of the accident. Nash’s father Kim remained in Greater Victoria to help at this end.
Nash, who graduated from Claremont Secondary School, was on holiday from his job as a ramp attendant for Air Canada Jazz at Victoria International Airport. He grew up sailing and his long-term dream was to work on a super yacht, his mother said Wednesday.
He decided to take a solo trip after hearing about Guatemala. Two former workmates were talking about meeting up with him during the holiday.
“He just wanted to get out and do something. He had never done anything like this before,” his mother said.
Her son came up with a meticulous itinerary and bought a brightly coloured backpack that would be easy to spot at airports, she said. “I was so proud of him.”
Nash is father to Saylor, who recently turned two and lives with her mother in Campbell River. He had been planning to visit his daughter, whom he called “Missy Moo,” after the trip in Guatemala, his mother said.
Jo-Anne took him to the airport on June 4 for a short flight and overnight stop in Vancouver. On June 5, he flew out of Vancouver, arriving in the evening in Guatemala City, where he caught a shuttle to the hostel in Antigua.
In his final text to his mother, he described Guatemala as “really cool.” When she tried texting him the following morning, there was no response.
Nash had fallen during the night and been taken to hospital.
Two German traveller were there when Nash fell. They called for emergency medical help and stayed with him.
One used his fingerprint to activate his phone and was able to reach a friend of Nash’s on Instagram, who started contacting others.
The Canadian consulate was contacted and has been very helpful, Jo-Anne said.
Nash was first taken to a public hospital. But it was decided he needed a CT scan so he was transported to a private hospital with that equipment.
The scan revealed he had internal bleeding from liver damage due to the fall and required immediate surgery. Because the private hospital did not have an intensive care unit, Nash was moved back to the first hospital, where he went through about three hours of surgery, his mother said.
After surgery, he suffered a cardiac arrest from blood loss and did not survive.
One of the hostel owners held his hand, after telling the hospital that she was a family member, and stayed with him until the end, Jo-Anne said.
Jo-Anne thinks that Nash may have hit his head on a storage box mounted on the wall above the head of the bed, become groggy and fallen while trying to climb down the ladder.
She received news of Nash’s accident while at work at Farmer Construction, where her “Farmer family” immediately sprang into action. A client who speaks Spanish came into the office to talk to the hospital. A flight was booked to Guatemala.
While Jo-Anne was at home packing, she got the call that Nash had died.
She called Guatemala a “country of angels,” saying she’s been offered help at every turn. “It has just been phenomenal.”
A network of friends in Canada with connections in Guatemala is helping out. One woman is planning to work with the hostel to redesign the bunk bed system to make sure this kind of accident never happens again.
Local authorities are investigating to make sure there was no foul play.
Jo-Anne said she is planning to return to Saanich in a few days. The family will arrange a private funeral and then hold a celebration of life for family and friends.
She remembers Nash, who was six feet and four inches tall, as quiet with a wonderful sense of humour. He was planning to take courses to pursue his dream of working on a yacht, she said.
“I always taught my boys to love themselves, family and friends with all their heart and soul. To have the confidence to ask for what they want and to have the courage to follow their dreams and live their lives,” she said.
“Encourage your children to pursue their passions and adventures. Hopefully, we have already given them the tools to be their compass along the way.”
Family friend Lisa Hopkins remembers how helpful Nash was, how willing to pitch in, whether it was to support her efforts at raising funds for B.C. Children’s Hospital, or at his former high school’s theatrical events, or if she needed her dog walked. His mother is the same, she said.
“People who help out, need some help,” Hopkins said.
An online fundraising account has been set up at gofundme.com/f/Bringing-Nash-Home. Proceeds are to go toward travel and medical costs, a funeral in Canada, and to assist his daughter in the future.
By Wednesday, more than $16,000 had been raised.
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