Thanks for the info about his flying with his family.
Horrible for all of them.
Long after our divorce, my ex had a heart attack on a plane. Because he could not get immediate medical care, he ended up in a wheelchair forever. In his case, he was having severe heart pains back at the airport but “toughed it out” anyway, wanting to be cared for in a hospital at home. Macho attitude really changed his life.
Speculation: perhaps this family knew the boy was at death’s door but decided to take him on one last trip to see grandma anyway.
I wonder if being in a plane with the changes in pressure can cause problems, especially if you have any circulatory issues.