A teen who died from a snake bite in Queensland yesterday has been described by his family as "vibrant, compassionate, and loving".
Beau Horan, 16, was bitten on the foot by a brown snake at his family home in Wurdong Heights south of Gladstone on Monday afternoon, 9News reports.
A family friend said the teen was unaware he had been bitten until he collapsed after going inside.
He was taken to Gladstone Hospital in a life-threatening condition before being airlifted to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Horan spent Tuesday and most of yesterday on life support before he died.
A statement posted to GoFundMe on behalf of his family paid tribute to the teen and described him as a "vibrant, compassionate, loving young man with so much to live for, with a bright future ahead of him".
"His passing has left an indescribable emptiness in our hearts and the family."
His family planned to head back to Wurdong Heights to make arrangements for his funeral.
Australian Eastern Brown Snake (Source: istock.com)
According to Queensland's Billabong Sanctuary, the eastern brown snake was considered the second most toxic in the world.
A report in the US National Library of Medicine said Australia was home to some of the most venomous snakes but deaths caused from bites were rare, with an average of two per year.
There were still around 3000 bites annually, with 500 of those resulting in hospital admissions.
The relatively low numbers have been helped by the national rollout of antivenom and successful public education programmes on snake bites.
