J’can baller in coma in Antigua

Jamaican footballer Dashawn 'Taka' Stanton has been in Antigua for five years, pursuing a football career.

However, Stanton fell ill on August 14 after he started experiencing severe headaches. The condition of Stanton, 25, who played for Tivoli Gardens Football Club in Jamaica, has since worsened. After tests revealed he has an infection around his brain, he fell into a coma last week.

"He started getting treatment for the infection and there wasn't much improvement, so things turn for the worse Thursday," Pashique Thompson, Stanton's sister told THE STAR.

He is currently in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Mount St John's Medical Centre in Antigua. "He went into a coma and he became unresponsive and his breathing level dropped. They also said his blood pressure went up, so they had to take him to the ICU. Right now, he's on the ventilator machine. He's unresponsive and they're telling us that some part of his brain is damaged, so there's a 40 per cent chance of him waking up," she said. "I believe that with God in the vessel, anything is possible. So, I am not going to give up. The doctors are telling us that they are only going to give him two weeks on the machine." Thompson says her brother had no pre-existing conditions, and she was able to speak with him before his condition worsened.

Wasn't responding

"Tuesday we talk and him did all right. Him did a eat, move, talk and still a do everything. We realise seh him memory nuh deh-deh again," she said. "Then last Thursday, his girlfriend realised he wasn't responding and alerted doctors and his family." The family is now actively trying to raise funds to have Stanton back in Jamaica.

"If he's here, I strongly believe he can get better medical care. And with the help of family and friends around him, he will pull through. We have a surgeon who is willing to take on the case," she said. The cost to have Stanton transported to Jamaica on Air Ambulance Transportation is US$20,000.

"We set up a GoFundMe campaign now, and that is what the main target is. I was contacted by the Jamaica Football Federation president, and he said they are having dialogue with the Antigua Football Federation," Thompson said.

Persons wishing to donate to assist Dashawn Stanton can do so at GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-please-help-us-bring-takashi-home