LW North Grad Who Had Overseas Brain Hemorrhage Dies

TINLEY PARK, IL — A 2015 Lincoln-Way North High School graduate from Tinley Park who suffered a brain hemorrhage while working this summer in the Czech Republic has died. Anthony Brattoli passed away July 18, nearly a month experiencing his medical emergency, according to his mother.

"The doctors here explained that he lost all consciousness and awareness when the rupture happened … , so he would not have been in any pain or aware of anything that happened to him. We are heartbroken," Tamara Brattoli wrote on the GoFundMe page she started to help defray her son's medical bills.

Anthony Brattoli, who was preparing for his final year at Brown University, was working for an international law firm in Prague. The double major in English and Slavic Studies had been translating legal documents from Russian to English, as well as teaching English to the firm's receptionists.

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The hemorrhage was caused by a previously undiagnosed arteriovenous malformation, which is an abnormal connection between arteries and veins. Emergency brain surgery was performed in Prague, but the damage was so significant that Brattoli was in a coma and a vegetative state following the surgery.

Once it was medically safe for him to fly, Brattoli was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital on July 14. But he never regained consciousness.

Despite being covered by Brown's study abroad insurance, Brattoli has racked up $10,000 in medical expenses from his emergency, and the family had to use a credit card to pay that because the Prague hospital would not allow a payment plan. Brattoli's mother also had been in Prague since Anthony was hospitalized, and that added the costs of international plane travel and accommodations.

With a goal of $50,000, Tamara Brattoli's GoFundMe campaign earned more than $40,000 in little more than a week. Brattoli has been very appreciative of the support she's received.

"Thank you for your generosity," she wrote. "We will be able to pay the medical bills and other expenses we have due to this, which is a relief. Of course, nothing will make up for the loss of our sweet boy."

Go to Tamara Brattoli's GoFundMe page to donate.

Anthony Brattoli (Photo via GoFundMe)