AsthmaPersonal stories: Faces of asthma
Faces of Asthma - Mark
Mark's family hopes tragedy will help others
Bright future cut short
Mark should have lived a long, healthy life. He was athletic, optimistic and had a loving, supportive family. Mark was a winner, with a million-dollar smile and a bright future.
Only things don't always go as planned. Mark hadn't anticipated that his asthma—which he considered more of a nuisance than a serious health issue—would cut short his life at the age of 24.
His parents, Maureen and Rick and sister Leslie want people to know Mark and how his death could have been prevented if his asthma had been under control.
"We thought it was nothing to worry about"
"Mark's sister, Leslie, always had very bad asthma," says Maureen. "Because it was severe, managing her asthma was always top-of-mind for us all the time. Mark's asthma was mild and never really interfered with his day-to-day activities so none of us, including Mark, thought there was ever anything to worry about."
Mark is still very present in their Bolton home. Photographs, awards and dragonflies (a symbol of transformation that was used at his funeral) appear everywhere.
Recounting the events of that fateful night is difficult for his family. He had moved to Ottawa where he began working in construction. Having what he considered mild asthma, the young man didn't always have his inhaler readily available. He thought he could handle it.
Then very early on a September morning Mark's parents got a phone call. Mark was having trouble breathing. There was no obvious reason for this asthma episode, probably a combination of triggers: possibly from dust at the work site and seasonal allergies.
Maureen urged Mark to call an ambulance. But he thought a 911 call seemed dramatic. His mother insisted and when her son agreed she hung up the phone and waited.
An hour passed without a word and then Rick began the frantic calls to the Ottawa area hospitals. He found him. But Mark had passed away while the paramedics worked on him.
"You just can't go there," says Rick. "It's every parent's greatest fear." He remembers how his relationship with his son changed over the years. "I was enjoying Mark not only as a son, but as a friend. We would go to sporting events, rib each other about our favorite teams and really enjoy each other's company. We could talk about real life issues, about life and relationships."
Amplefords hope their story will help others
Just as in life Mark will continue to have a positive impact on countless lives. Rick and Maureen have recorded a public service announcement for The Lung Association and its Asthma Action Helpline. The goal of the television spot is to raise awareness that asthma is a disease that can be managed, and that the association can be a key partner by providing free and current information.
"When you think that up to 60 per cent of people with asthma don't have it under control, it's frightening. No one should die of asthma in Canada. And we are going to do what we can to help make sure that message gets out," says Rick.
"It shouldn't have come down to a 911 call," says Maureen. "Everyone needs to have a plan, no matter how severe or mild their asthma is. I'm here to telling you because my son can't."
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