In Mamers, a small town in Sarthe, a young man's distress resulted in a tragedy that could undoubtedly have been avoided. On the evening of January 28, 24-year-old Estéban Vermeersch called the Le Mans emergency medical service experiencing severe breathing difficulties. His voice, recorded by the 15 emergency services, betrayed his anguish: he said he could no longer fill his lungs, that he felt as if he were "half-breathing." On the other end of the line, the dispatch doctor tried to reassure him and concluded it was a muscular problem. No help was dispatched. A few hours later, the young artisan baker collapsed at home. His heart failed, struck down by a pneumothorax. The next morning, the tragedy was irreversible. His family, who had scrupulously noted his symptoms to pass on to the medical staff, were unable to prevent the worst. Today, at the start of the 2025 school year, she is preparing to file a complaint for involuntary manslaughter.
Damning negligence
According to several independently consulted medical experts, the care provided was marred by serious errors. After two unsuccessful calls, no ambulance or emergency team was sent to the home. It was only after his death that the diagnosis was made: Estéban was suffering from a pneumothorax, a condition that requires rapid intervention, even though the signs were suggestive. For the family, this was not just a medical accident but a series of failures that directly led to the young man's death. The pain is compounded by a sense of injustice: Estéban had sought help, but the system that was supposed to save lives failed to respond.
Confidence in the emergency services in question
The case is taking on national resonance. In a context where the SAMU (Emergency Medical Services) is already criticized for repeated malfunctions, Estéban's case has rekindled the debate on the reliability of emergency call triage. The audiotapes, in which the doctor can be heard downplaying the seriousness of the situation, could become a central piece of the legal proceedings. The prosecution has been notified, and the investigation will have to establish whether the 15 Emergency Medical Services Center is responsible. For the relatives, the approach is clear: it's about obtaining justice, but also about preventing another patient from being left without assistance despite their calls for help. In Mamers, as elsewhere, a brutal question remains: how could a system supposed to embody responsiveness and vigilance let a young man die who, just the day before, said he could no longer breathe?
