By Danielle NuttallA COUPLE told last night of their devastation at the loss of their bright 20-year-old son who died suddenly after suspected diabetes complications.

By Danielle Nuttall

A COUPLE told last night of their devastation at the loss of their bright 20-year-old son who died suddenly after suspected diabetes complications.

Daniel Thrower had been studying for his final exams in an economics, finance and banking degree at Portsmouth University when he was discovered unconscious by his flatmates.

Paramedics were called but the student was pronounced dead. It is believed Daniel, who had been diagnosed with Type One diabetes at the age of 13, had developed complications related to the disease.

Diabetes Type One means the body is unable to produce any insulin and is treated by regular insulin injections and diet.

Last night Daniel's heartbroken parents, Melvin, 59, and Jacqueline, 49, of Broomhill Road, Ipswich, spoke of their sadness at the death of their happy-go-lucky son who was predicted to gain a 2:1 degree and had a bright future.

“He only had six weeks left at university, that's the hardest bit. He was into his finals,” said Mrs Thrower, who last saw her son during the Easter break.

“He was the first one in my family who had been to university. The hardest thing yesterday was cleaning out his flat. He was always laughing and smiling. He was never a solemn boy. He was always playing jokes.

“We had a good relationship. He was a boy who even came out shopping with me. He would always show affection in public, not like a normal lad. I was lucky. We will miss him very, very much.”

Daniel, a former pupil of Westbourne High School in Ipswich, who was due to celebrate his 21st birthday in August, was diagnosed with diabetes Type One after his grandmother spotted he had been constantly drinking during a day trip to London.

A common symptom of the disease is an increased thirst and when he was taken to a doctor for a test, he was immediately diagnosed with the condition and sent to hospital.

Mrs Thrower said Daniel, who had been a member of the 24th Ipswich Scout Group since the age of eight, took his condition extremely seriously and made sure he carried out his necessary insulin injections twice a day.

“We do not know 100% what happened and we're still waiting for results. We think he went into a diabetic coma,” she added.

“I had tried to get hold of him and got one of his flatmates to go into his room. They called the ambulance, but he had died.

“He had had what we call the shakes, 'hypos', but had never gone into a coma before.

“I think sometimes he was frustrated with it because he was very independent. He liked his ice-cream - that was the bane of his life because he could not have as much as he wanted.”

Daniel, who worked in Gap during university holidays, was close to his 23-year-old sister Laura and the pair kept in touch by phone most days while he was away.

Mrs Thrower has received dozens of sympathy cards from family, friends and university tutors since his death on April 27.

Daniel's funeral will take place at the West Chapel at the Ipswich Crematorium on Friday and an inquest will take place in due course to establish the exact cause of his death.

His family has asked anyone wanting to donate funds into the research of diabetes to contact Diabetes UK on 0800 371455.

danielle.nuttall@eadt.co.uk