“He Didn’t Have a Carbon Monoxide Alarm” A Mother’s Plea to Gap Year Travelers
A grieving mother has issued a heartfelt plea to gap year travelers and young holidaymakers to carry one crucial item that could save their lives—an item that could have saved her son, Hudson Foley.
Cathy Foley has shared her tragic story a year after her son, Hudson, died during his dream trip around South America. The heartbroken mother from Camberley, Surrey, recounted to the Mirror how her 24-year-old son had called her from his homestay in Ecuador, chatting for almost an hour as he often did. Little did she know, it would be their last conversation.
An hour later, Hudson was found dead on the bathroom floor. Cathy and Hudson’s brother, Jordan, immediately flew to Ecuador. They learned that Hudson had died from carbon monoxide poisoning, a lethal gas that kills around 30,000 people annually, according to a 2023 Lancet study. Carbon monoxide is a toxic, invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas produced by fuel-burning appliances. It can kill within minutes and inflict severe mental and physical injuries on survivors.
“He was found to have passed away with acute pulmonary edema. We later found out this was caused by carbon monoxide poisoning. He hadn’t got into the shower when he died,” Cathy explained.
Cathy and Jordan managed the official processes required in Ecuador, and Hudson’s father and sister joined them four days later. They brought Hudson home on September 10, covering 6,000 miles to lay him to rest on October 19 at a local church. Determined to uncover the exact cause of Hudson’s death, the Foley family faced challenges due to Ecuador’s lack of carbon monoxide specialists, prompting them to pay for expert analysis.
“Hudson was a very clean-living 24-year-old. He didn’t drink or take drugs, his due diligence was pretty remarkable. He was a great researcher. He would research everything before he did it, and he was really careful about what he put in his body,” Cathy continued. “This tragedy happened to a young man who took all the precautions aside from one—he didn’t have a carbon monoxide alarm.”
In Hudson’s memory, the Foley family launched the Pack Safe Appeal with three primary goals:
- Encourage young travelers to carry carbon monoxide alarms on their trips.
- Persuade travel companies to include carbon monoxide alarms on their recommended kit lists.
- Advocate for travel companies to have a dedicated safety section for carbon monoxide dangers on their websites.
At the campaign’s launch, Cathy spoke fondly of Hudson: “He was a very positive, upbeat young man who loved life. He really lived life. If he wasn’t playing table tennis in the league, he’d be playing golf at the local club or chatting with one of his mates. He was very wise for his age and always ready to help friends in trouble with sound advice. So many people who traveled with him said he was a positive, uplifting presence. Whenever you saw him, he’d always greet you with an amazing smile.”
SafeLincs Ltd, a carbon monoxide alarm distributor, is offering a discount on portable CO alarms using the code HUDSON15 and supporting the campaign by distributing flyers with every purchase. Chelsea Football Club will highlight the campaign at a home match early in the 2024 season in honor of Hudson, a lifelong supporter and season ticket holder. The Latin American Travel Association is also backing the campaign, working to make accommodation across the region safer for travelers.
Donations to support the campaign can be made via the Hudson Foley Travel Safely memorial page.