David Azevedo, 34, died on 13 July 2022 after collapsing from heatstroke while working on a building site in Clermont-Ferrand, central France. The temperature that day reached 42C, and his body temperature was recorded at the same level by paramedics.
His sister, Anne-Marie Azevedo, described how her brother had been eager to make a good impression in his new job, working extra hours despite the extreme heat. The previous evening he had been exhausted and unwell. On the day of his death, he was found convulsing on the pavement with no medical attention.
Anne-Marie, a medical secretary, performed first aid, removing his boots and trying to cool him down. She recalled that water was not readily available. An ambulance arrived after about half an hour, and David was taken to hospital, where he died shortly after midnight.
The hospital certificate listed the cause of death as cardiac arrest caused by severe hyperthermia. Anne-Marie remains haunted by the delay in medical treatment. 'I didn't understand why they hadn't called the emergency services first,' she said.
David had been staying with his sister while getting his life back on track after a period of unemployment. Anne-Marie described him as exceptionally generous and loving. The family home is full of memories of her brother, whose death she is still struggling to accept.
