A 28-year-old man tragically passed away just three days shy of his 29th birthday after a rare bacterial infection left 72 holes in his lungs.
Dylan Watts, from Broulee, New South Wales, died on March 22, 2025, following a rapid deterioration in his health that shocked his family, despite prior warnings from doctors about the severity of his condition.
The late man's younger sister, Caitlyn, spoke to the Daily Mail about how quickly the illness progressed.
“I found out in July of last year how severe things had begun to get, that he had holes in his lungs and had been in hospital for three weeks after coughing up blood. His doctor told him if he hadn't got in so soon, that could have killed him,” she explained.
In 2021, scans showed that Dylan had two holes in his lungs. Over the course of the following year, his health declined, and his symptoms - a persistent cough, lethargy, and reflux - were not alleviated by over-the-counter medications.
By early 2024, the 28-year-old was hospitalized following a lung haemorrhage and began receiving specialized treatment.
His condition continued to deteriorate, and by mid-2024, the number of holes in his lungs had increased to 72.
Caitlyn shared that by this point, her brother was on a large regimen of medication and antibiotics, enough to fill an entire backpack. “He was severely unwell yet fighting for his health and optimistic about some kind of recovery,” she shared.
The Final Days
Just two weeks before his death, Dylan’s mother, Suzanne, picked him up from Goulburn and began making arrangements for his long-term care, hopeful for a future where he could recover. However, just five days later, he passed away unexpectedly.
Caitlyn described her brother as a "compassionate and intelligent person" who always stood up for what he believed in "for his family and friends and for anyone he felt didn’t have the voice to do so for themselves".
“I always looked up to him, he was my big brother so how could I not? He was always there to protect and guide me, and pull me up when I was making bad decisions as he'd learned from his own experiences and shared those lessons with me," she added.
The siblings had grown even closer as they got older, bonding over their shared love of music and tattoos.
The grieving sister recalled: “The last thing my mum and I were supposed to do with him was get a tattoo done by him as he had learned and practiced on himself for the last few years, and was getting quite good.”
Despite the pain of their loss, Caitlyn said Dylan’s spirit "is walking alongside my mum and I, we are his voice now and boy did he always have questions".
Community Support and Grief
In an effort to help the family cover funeral costs, a GoFundMe campaign was launched, which has since raised $4,686 toward its $6,000 target.
Caitlyn wrote on the fundraiser page: “Let this be a reminder that those you love can be gone in an instant. So, hold them close today and tell them you love them."
"There is a fragility in all of us. His memory and his story will be remembered by many who loved him and he will be forever missed," she added.
A Mother's Heartfelt Tribute
Dylan’s mother, Suzanne Coote, shared a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook, posting photographs of her son along with a message that read: “My family was torn apart last week. My son Dylan, left this cruel world, too young.Too fast. He was very sick with a rare lung condition."
"His quality of life was deteriorating fast. We never imagined he would pass away suddenly, three days before he turned 29."
Suzanne went on to describe her son as “a kind, sensitive, loyal man. An inquisitive delightful boy, and always my baby. Forever Young - No Regrets.”
In a follow-up post, she said the family was “close to bringing Dylan home,” and expressed gratitude for the donations made to the GoFundMe.
Our thoughts are with Watts' loved ones.