A 20-year-old university student, described as “fit, healthy, and full of life,” has tragically died in his student accommodation after emergency services allegedly failed to send an ambulance when his brothers called for help.
Joshua Adiefeh, from Nottingham, passed away in his Manchester Metropolitan University halls on the morning of September 28, just one week after starting his first year as an Accounting and Finance student.
According to his brothers, Joel (his twin) and Daniel, 21, Joshua had been complaining of stomach pain and vomiting for several weeks. His condition worsened suddenly the night before his death just hours after the brothers had spent a quiet evening together eating at Nando’s, walking, and playing pool.
When Joshua’s symptoms became severe, his twin brother called emergency services, only to be told that an ambulance would not be dispatched because the case was “not considered serious enough.” Instead, the call handler reportedly advised them to give Joshua paracetamol.
Joel and Daniel ran to a nearby shop to buy the medication, but by the time they returned, Joshua was lying unconscious on the bathroom floor. Paramedics arrived minutes later, but despite their efforts, he was pronounced dead within two hours.
An autopsy later revealed that Joshua had suffered from a blocked intestine, a life-threatening condition that can prevent food and waste from passing through the digestive system.
Daniel described his brother as “outgoing, hard-working, and selfless.”
“Anyone who knows me knows I have two brothers,” he said. “Anyone who knows Josh knows he has two brothers. Everything we did, we did together. I thought it would be us three until the end.”
He added that his twin brother Joel has been struggling to cope since the tragedy, saying, “Even to this day, I can see in his eyes he’s not the same.”
The brothers shared a deep bond through their love of football, often attending each other’s matches. Daniel, a Notts County footballer, said Joshua was always there to support him, both on and off the field.
Joshua was remembered as a driven young man with big ambitions. “He was the most academic of us,” Daniel said. “He dreamed of owning his own business and was always trying to be the best version of himself whether that was through studying or going to the gym.”
Around 300 people attended a memorial event organised by Daniel last week, featuring balloons, speeches, and fireworks to celebrate Joshua’s life.
“We always spoke about the future our families, our parents, our goals,” Daniel shared. “It’s devastating that the person I thought I’d do all that with is gone.”
A spokesperson for North West Ambulance Service extended condolences to the Adiefeh family and invited them to contact the patient resolution team for a full investigation.
“We want to offer our sincere condolences to Joshua’s family at this very difficult time,” the statement read. “We will investigate and get in touch with them directly about our findings.”
Manchester Metropolitan University also issued a statement confirming Joshua’s death.
“It is with great sadness that we can confirm the death of our first-year Accounting and Finance student, Joshua Adiefeh. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” a spokesperson said. “We have offered support to the family and made professional counselling services available to students and staff affected by this news.”
Joshua’s brothers have since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral costs and honour his memory.
Comments
Post a Comment