Parents Devastated After Losing 13-Year-Old Son to Asthma Attack Months After Tragic Loss of Older Brother
A heartbroken mother and father are struggling to cope after their 13-year-old son’s sudden passing due to an asthma attack—just months after his older brother lost his life in a car crash.
What started as a carefree afternoon in the backyard quickly turned into a nightmare for Cindi and Jason Iverson. Their son, Jesse Dalzell-Iverson, ran inside, gasping for air, and told his mother he was having trouble breathing.
Jesse, a teenager from Hastings, Victoria, had battled asthma for years and was undergoing treatment. But on March 3, he suffered a severe attack, and despite medical efforts, he tragically passed away in the hospital four days later.
A close family friend, Karlie Russell, told Daily Mail Australia that the attack came out of nowhere, delivering an unimaginable blow to a family still grieving the loss of their eldest son, Cody, 18, who tragically passed away in an accident late last year.
To make matters even worse, cruel online trolls falsely claimed that the fundraiser Ms. Russell organized for the family was a scam.
“It’s been taken down multiple times because people think it’s fraudulent, which is just heartbreaking. I really believed my community would support me, but sadly, that hasn’t been the case,” Ms. Russell shared.
She recalled that Jesse seemed completely fine on the day the asthma attack struck.
“He went to school as usual on Monday (March 3), came home, and was out in the backyard kicking the football around,” Ms. Russell shared.
Jesse was rushed to hospital and placed on life support after he stopped breathing
Jesse, known as ‘Peanut’ to his family, was a ‘shining young man’ who enjoyed animals, cooking and gaming
He walked up to Cindi, struggling for breath, and gasped, “Mum, I can’t breathe.”
Moments later, his condition worsened—his skin turned blue, and everything spiraled rapidly. In a panic, Cindi dialed Triple Zero and performed CPR as she waited for paramedics to arrive, describing those agonizing moments as feeling like an eternity.
That night, Jesse was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support.
Doctors delivered devastating news to Cindi and Jason—Jesse had been deprived of oxygen for 23 minutes, leaving his brain unable to recover from the “catastrophic event.”
His tragic medical crisis was classified as an “asthma-induced cardiac arrest.”
Four days later, on Friday, March 7, the heartbroken parents made the unbearable decision to turn off Jesse’s life support.
The heartbreaking vigil by Jesse’s bedside was both devastating and painfully reminiscent of the past.
Just five months earlier, his brother Cody had been in a car crash and placed on life support.
Despite fighting for weeks, Cody tragically passed away after spending 14 weeks in a Queensland hospital.
Cindi and Jason Iverson (pictured with their son Jesse) have had to deal with the loss of two sons in five months
“The trauma tied to hospitals runs deep,” Ms. Russell said.
“Having to endure that pain again with their son—going through it twice—was absolutely devastating for them.
“The past six to eight months have been nothing short of unbearable.”
Jesse, affectionately known as “Peanut” by his family, had a passion for cooking, a deep love for animals, and a joy for playing video games.
**”(He was) a chef in the making—he could cook a perfect steak—an animal whisperer, and a passionate gamer.
‘Peanut’ was a bright young soul with his whole future ahead of him.
The heartbreak and sorrow Cindi and Jase are enduring right now are beyond words.”**
Ms. Russell has started a GoFundMe campaign to support the couple as they navigate the financial strain of losing two children in such a short time.
“This is the second time they’re facing this, and they had already spent much of their savings traveling to Queensland to be with Cody.”
Doctors described Jesse’s medical episode as an ‘asthma-induced cardiac arrest’
