“He couldn’t shake his hand or legs anymore,” said a distraught Calton St. Omer, father of 13-year-old Carlton St. Omer, who is currently fighting for his life at the Owen King European Union (OKEU) Hospital in Saint Lucia. Carlton fell ill days after participating in his school’s marathon and has since been diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare neurological condition that causes paralysis and can stop the body from breathing on its own.
In an interview with St. Lucia Times, Calton expressed that the past few days have been a nightmare for his family. “I cannot sleep… I cannot work… I think his mom is taking it harder than me; that’s her only son,” he shared, visibly emotional as he spoke about the ordeal.
According to the father, the first signs of illness appeared shortly after Carlton took part in his school’s marathon on October 29 from Monchy to La Clery. “He was looking okay, but he had a little limp,” Calton recalled.
The next day, Carlton complained of pain in his leg and later, severe weakness. “He told the teacher his head was hurting him and when we got back home from school he said that every time he lifts up his leg, he’s feeling like something is pushing it back down.”
By October 31, things had taken a serious turn. “The child could not move on the bed. He said he was feeling weak,” Calton said. His son was taken to a medical centre and later transferred to OKEU Hospital, where doctors ran several tests. “They did CT scans, blood tests but they saw nothing,” his father explained.
The symptoms quickly worsened. “He told me, ‘Daddy I cannot swallow,’ and all during that time he couldn’t shake his hand or legs anymore,” Calton said. “Saturday morning [November 1] when I got there he told me he cannot see in the right eye; it’s blurry.” Soon after, Carlton was unable to breathe on his own and was placed on a ventilator.
Doctors have since recommended that Carlton be airlifted to Martinique for urgent, specialised care. He is expected to be flown out today [November 6] by 1 p.m. today for the latest for advanced treatment. “Currently he is getting good treatment at the OKEU hospital,” Calton noted, as the family continues to hold onto hope.
Carlton’s sister, Abbie John, has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for the air ambulance and medical treatment in Martinique. In her appeal, she described her brother as “a bright and energetic 13-year-old boy who has always been full of life, laughter and kindness.”
“We are in a race against time to save his life,” Abbie wrote. “Every contribution, no matter how small, will help give Carlton the chance to survive and recover.”
The family’s GoFundMe campaign, titled Save Abbie’s Little Brother – Urgent Help Needed, is calling on the public for both prayers and donations.
Carlton’s father also shared that his son had previously experienced a medical episode in April after receiving an injection for an ingrown toenail. Reflecting on that incident, Calton said, “After he received the injection… Suddenly he just curved forward, going straight down on the floor. I had to catch him… CJ was unresponsive.”
Though doctors stabilised him at the time, Carlton’s father suspects the two events may be connected.
For now, the family remains focused on getting Carlton the urgent medical care he needs. The GoFundMe campaign can be viewed here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-abys-little-brother-urgent-help-needed
