In June 2023, Darren “Muddy” Laycock collapsed unexpectedly at home. He had suffered a fatal rupture from an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – a condition none of his loved ones had ever heard of until that terrible day.
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Darren was the kind of person who made a lasting impression. Loyal, generous, and full of mischief, he lit up any room he entered.
He was a skilled mechanic and diesel fitter who worked on pipelines and heavy machinery across remote Australia. He also had a passion for motorcycles and water-ski racing, spending over 15 years behind the wheel of ski-racing boats in events like the Southern 80.
But more than anything, Darren was loved. Deeply.
“He was always helping someone out – never asked for anything in return,” says his mum, Hazel. “One time he took on a kid who wanted to be a mechanic out for a whole day of work. At the end of the day he offered money, but the kid refused, saying he was just learning. He didn’t tell us, but at the end, he went back and dropped money in the kid’s mailbox. That was Darren.”
Everything he did, he did with energy and heart. His love of life was infectious.
When Darren didn’t get up one morning in June 2023, his family thought he might just be feeling under the weather. But later that afternoon, he collapsed in his home and it was clear something was terribly wrong.
Darren had suffered a rupture of an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – a condition involving an abnormal tangle of blood vessels in the brain.
There were no symptoms. No warning signs. No second chance.
He was rushed to surgery, where doctors tried to relieve pressure on his brain. But the damage was catastrophic. Within days, the family faced an impossible choice – and said goodbye. Darren passed away on June 24th, 2023.
“It was a traumatic time for us all,” Paul says. “But one good thing did come out of it – Darren was an organ donor. He inspired our whole family to become organ donors, and I think some of his friends as well.”
His kidneys, his retina, even his heart were used to save and improve lives. “Dad would’ve said he was glad to be used as spare parts,” says Justin, his son. “That’s who he was. That’s what he’d say.”
An AVM is a tangled mesh of blood vessels that irregularly connect arteries and veins in the brain, which disrupts blood flow and oxygen circulation. AVMs are rare, and usually form during development or shortly after birth.
In many cases people will have no symptoms or minimal symptoms unless the AVM ruptures (which can occur if the tangles weaken), causing bleeding in the brain. This is a type of stroke called an intracerebral haemorrhage and it is a medical emergency.
In the wake of his sudden passing, Darren’s family and friends decided to honour his memory the way he would’ve wanted: with adventure, camaraderie, and purpose.
This August, they will ride adventure bikes from Melbourne to Darwin – a 4,000km journey Darren had once dreamed of doing himself. They’ve named this challenge ‘The Mudrun’, carrying his nickname and his dreams forward.
It’s a fundraiser for research into AVMs and cerebrovascular disease. It’s a mission to raise awareness about a condition that, like Darren’s, can go undetected until it’s too late. And it’s a tribute to a man who lived large, laughed loud, and gave everything he had.
AVMs are rare and often undiagnosed – until, tragically, it ruptures. There’s so much we still don’t understand. But with research, that can change.
Your donation today can fund vital research to improve early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cerebrovascular diseases like AVMs.
The Brain Foundation is dedicated to funding the next generation of Australian research into brain disorders, diseases, and injuries, with the ultimate goal of advancing diagnoses, treatments, and patient outcomes.
