Healthy 15-year-old boy dies after suffering cardiac arrest at Auckland's Armageddon convention

15-year-old Alex Haselden suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at Auckland's Armageddon Expo last month. Photo / Give A Little

A teenage boy has died after suffering a cardiac arrest while attending a pop culture convention in Auckland last month.

Orewa College student Alex Haselden was at the Armageddon Expo at Auckland's ASB Showgrounds when he collapsed after telling his friends he was dizzy.

The 15-year-old was placed on life support but died a week later on Halloween, October 31, after doctors determined there was nothing more they could do.

"At the far too early age of 15 and whilst on a day out with his friends, Alex had a massive cardiac arrest.

"Doctors still don't really understand the reason and are continuing to investigate. Alex was left in a coma with suspected brain damage due to a lack of oxygen when it happened," a family friend wrote on Alex's GiveALittle.

"Tragically, after a week of testing and hoping, doctors concluded that the damage was catastrophic with no chance of recovery.

"Life support was withdrawn and Alex peacefully passed away on 31st October, surrounded by the love of his mum, sister and dad; Jo, Maddie and Nick. His grandparents and wider family are in the UK."

Haselden didn't have any known underlying health conditions, with the news coming as a shock to friends and family.

Doctors told Alex's mum, Joanne, he has suffered a "sudden cardiac arrest", something rare for someone his age.

He was resuscitated at the scene by paramedics and placed into an induced coma.

However, there was no chance of recovery and it was decided to turn his life support off.

"Alex was much loved by his family and friends and will be sorely missed for many years to come," a family friend said.

Alex's friends put him into a recovery position and waited for paramedics. He spent about 10 minutes without oxygen.

Joanne believes if first aid knowledge was more widely known, and CPR was performed, her son might still be here today.

So far over $18,000 has been raised for Alex's family, which will go towards funeral costs, travel quarantine costs of his family travelling from the UK, and supporting the family in the near term.

Armageddon founder Bill Geradts said the show had three emergency medical technicians on site when Alex collapsed, and he believed that they reached him sooner than 10 minutes.

"They were on site and their base was within 100m of where he was, so it wouldn't have taken them very long to get to him," Geradts said.

"The stallholders around him were helping as well, and some of them went to get people.

"They responded within three minutes of being advised, due to crowd access and the amount of patrons walking through the show.

"They found the patient in the recovery position and started doing primary and secondary assessment. They noticed the patient's colour and he was gasping for breath.

"Definitely they were on to it and he was responsive when they got to him."

Geradts said he had "a detailed report" on the incident and "it all reads like they did an amazing job".

He said he understood that Alex was not in costume and was wearing normal street clothes.

"It was just unfortunate. He could have been walking down the street and this could have happened," he said.

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