Cyrus: My son never had a seizure in his life

The mother of Yanik Cyrus who died at the Questelles beach last Sunday afternoon is upset about what she says are false rumours which have been circulating about the cause of her son’s death.{{more}}

Just two days after the passing of her 21-year-old son, Ann Cyrus, a nurse by profession, visited SEARCHLIGHT to “clear the air about her son’s death”.

Recounting the events of that fateful afternoon, Cyrus explained that Yanik took his younger brother and cousin to the beach to give her some time alone after she arrived home from her shift as a nurse.

“According to my ten-year-old nephew, after a soak, my three-year-old son threw sand on Yanik and he went back in the water to rinse himself off, so he dived into the water.

“My nephew was there playing with him in the water, and he was okay. It was not until he realized that he didn’t see Yanik coming up out of the water, my nephew dived under the water and saw he had froth around his mouth.”

It was then, according to Cyrus, that her nephew went to seek help for Yanik.

Cyrus said her son has never suffered from any epileptic seizures as some persons have claimed.

“My 21-year-old son was healthy and never had a seizure in his entire life, and for other media houses to report that, without a doctor’s report, or contacting me or even the police for a proper report is not irresponsible.

“You guys (SEARCHLIGHT), however, did a reasonable job on reporting the story, though,” Cyrus added.

According to Cyrus, the autopsy report revealed that Yanik died from Aspiration.

“The autopsy did not report that any alcohol was found in his system to say he was drinking. It showed that his stomach was filled with food because he had just consumed his lunch…”

The medical term Aspiration pneumonia occurs when foreign materials (usually food, liquids, vomit, or fluids from the mouth) are breathed into the lungs or airways leading to the lungs.

Cyrus, however, said it will be a difficult process for her to move on following her son’s death because Yanik was her “hand and my foot.”

The grieving mother recalled that while she worked long shifts as a nurse, Yanik would take care of his younger brother.

“It was just the three of us, and to know that he is gone, I’m not too sure who is going to assist me with my three year old son and all the other things he used to help me with.

“So it’s real difficult,” the mother said.

Yanik Cyrus will be laid to rest on Sunday February 26.