A family is praying for a miracle at a Fort Worth hospital where their loved one is on life support.
Relatives of Daniel Tamayo suspect he overdosed on the way to school Monday. They said they weren't sure how it happened but knew the 16-year-old caught the bus that morning and never made it home.
“He was so thoughtful and sweet. He always thought about everybody,” his sister Viviana Gutierrez told NBC 5 outside the hospital.
Before the hospital, a bus stop in Arlington is where they said they last saw the son and brother.
Get DFW local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC DFW newsletters.
They said he got on the bus at 8 a.m. Monday and about an hour later, his mom, Alma Tamayo, received a life-changing phone call.
“The school had called my mom and let her know that it was an emergency to go to the hospital,” explained Gutierrez.
What happened between the time the 16-year-old got on the bus and when he arrived at Tarrant County’s Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program is unclear.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Fort Worth Police said they responded to a call about a boy who'd possibly overdosed on a school bus and was not breathing. He was taken to an adult hospital and then brought to Cook Children’s with severe brain swelling.
“They did a CT scan before seeing him and his brain was so swollen that they weren't able to do nothing for my Danny,” said Gutierrez, crying.
Tamayo has failed two standard brain death tests since then.
His family said the hospital plans to disconnect him from life support, but they want more time.
“He's strong, my Danny’s strong. I know he’s going to be OK, but I need more people to pray for him,” said Gutierrez.
Cook Children's Health Care System said in a statement Thursday morning:
"The patient was transferred to Cook Children’s from another hospital system on April 1 with severe brain swelling. He’d had a long cardiac arrest despite aggressive attempts to revive him. Unfortunately, his brain went a long time without oxygen. In addition to a standard brain death test, our physicians have gone to extra lengths, at the family’s request, including consulting with outside physicians and providing additional neurological testing beyond the standard established medical protocols. The results were consistent with earlier brain death findings. At this time, we are working with the family to come to a resolution and will respect the privacy of this patient and family."
A second brain death test was performed Thursday afternoon. Results of this test were consistent with previous findings of brain death, the hospital said.
The family remained at the hospital Thursday praying for a miracle. Durham School Services provides transportation for the Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program.
Thursday, a company spokesperson said they understand the tragedy but declined to comment further citing the ongoing police investigation.
