Montreal Man Dies After Leaving ER Following 6-Hour Wait

A paramedic loads a stretcher into an ambulance after bringing a patient to the emergency room at a hospital in Montreal, on April 14, 2022. The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz

A 39-year-old Montreal man died of an aneurysm a day after leaving a crowded emergency room following a six hour wait to be treated.

A social media post by the man, Adam Burgoyne, has garnered attention over the state of Canada’s health-care system.

“Had a bit of a health scare last night, but thankfully it wasn’t a heart attack,” Burgoyne said in a Dec. 5 post on the X platform. “Not sure what it was, though, because once they made sure I wasn’t dying I was thrown out into the waiting room,” he said.

Burgoyne said he waited six hours and then decided to go home. In a subsequent post, he said he had slept most of that day.

Burgoyne died the next day, Dec. 6, of an aortic aneurysm, according to a Dec. 13 online obituary.

“At just 39 years old, Adam’s life was cut short too soon, but the memories he leaves behind continue to shape the lives of his family, friends, and colleagues,” the obituary said.

“Adam’s passing serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life, but his legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched.”

He leaves behind his parents and siblings, according to another online obituary. The family has requested that donations be made to the Canadian Assembly of Narcotics Anonymous in Burgoyne’s name.

A survey released by SecondStreet.org last month found that 47 percent of Canadians are choosing to stay home rather than get medical help due to wait times.

The survey also found that 73 percent of respondents supported allowing patients to have a choice between staying on a waiting list for local health care or being reimbursed by the provincial government for seeking care outside their home province.

About 5.2 million Canadians are on a waiting list for health-care services, according to a SecondStreet.org policy brief.

Since 2018, nearly 60,000 patients have died while waiting for health care, SecondStreet said.