Hay River mourns toddler Deagan Clavette, who had rare allergic-like disease

A toddler from Hay River, N.W.T.,who was battling a rare, life-threatening disease, has died.

Deagan Clavette died Sunday. He would have turned three in March.

When he was five days old, Deagan temporarily stopped breathing. At six weeks, he again went into respiratory distress and was medevaced, first to Yellowknife then on to the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, where he spent most of his short life.

He had unpredictable and potentially fatal allergic-like reactions and doctors struggled to diagnose him.

• N.W.T. family still waiting for diagnosis of toddler son's allergic-like reactions

Hisfamily relocated to Alberta so Deagan could be closer to specialists. This past spring,N.W.T.groups raised $65,000in just three weeks for the family.The money went toward outfitting an allergy-free apartment and day-to-day needs of the family while they were living in Edmonton.

• Deagan's Day aims to raise $50K for family of sick Hay River toddler

Town in mourning

In a Facebook post, Hay River Mayor Brad Mapessaid the town was in mourning.

"We all came together as a community to help the family so they could focus on the needs of their little boy," he wrote.

"I would like to ask that everyone comes together again to help this family through their great loss."

Shari Burnstad, a family friend,was selling knitted hats on the weekend to raise more money for the family.

"You'd go online and you saw pictures of him [and]he just radiates with lovableness," said Burnstad.

"He'dbe back in intensive care and there he'd be with that smile, even as sick as he got.

"I don't think anyone I talk to hasn't shed a tear."