Mum's heartbreak as son dies under unsecured chest of drawers one day after his fourth birthday
Mum Madison Holley has said she 'never wants another parent to feel' the way she felt after losing her son
Emily Brown
A Canadian mum has said she never wants another parent to feel the way she did when her son lost his life after getting trapped under a chest of drawers.
Four-year-old Waylon had only just celebrated his birthday with his mum, Madison Holley, and his two brothers when the tragic incident took place.
Madison, Waylon, Cade and Dallas all enjoyed some cake and presents for Waylon, who had autism and was 'literally always happy', according to his mum.
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The following day, Madison left the three children with a babysitter while she popped out for a doctor’s appointment.
When she returned, she realised she couldn't hear the usual sounds of children's laughter throughout the home. She asked the babysitter where Waylon was, and was told he had been playing in his bedroom for 15 minutes.
She quickly went to check on him, and was horrified to see the chest of drawers tipped over on the ground, with Waylon trapped underneath, unconscious.
“As I approached the bedroom I saw the dresser on top of him he was completely blue with no pulse,” Madison told 7Life.
She rushed to pull her son out from under the heavy piece of furniture and began conducting CPR.
An ambulance arrived and paramedics were able to restore Waylon's breathing and find a pulse before taking him to hospital.
Madison prayed her son would recover, but sadly his condition deteriorated and he went on to be placed on life support.
It was determined that Waylon had been deprived of oxygen for so long that he no longer had any brain activity. He was being kept alive by machines, leaving Madison struggling to comprehend how much her life had changed in such a short space of time.
The mum then made the tough decision to turn off Waylon's life support. He died on 14 August.
A short while later, she was gently approached about organ donation. Knowing that Waylon could have the chance to save the lives of others, Madison agreed.
“After all this, I never want another parent to feel the way I felt,” she said.
"Waylon saved a nine-year-old girl with his small bowel, a two-year-old boy with his liver, and a baby under one with his heart.”
“All three transplants were successful, and the kids are doing good. I do know we made the right choice."
Following Waylon's death, multiple members of the community joined the family in showing their love for the young boy by getting windmill tattoos in his honour.
“The shop owner donated us half the funds she made from the tattoos, in support of the family," Madison said.
Though she is still processing the loss of her son, the mum has shown her gratefulness for the support her family has received following Waylon's death.