A year before his death, Nick Payne suffered a leg fracture that caused him to wear a boot. As his leg was recovering, he developed a superficial blood clot, before recovering, says his mother, Amy Payne.
For a year, everything was fine but then in October 2020 he again developed superficial blood clots, Amy Payne said.
He saw a doctor and was prescribed blood-thinning medicine, but because the doctor didn’t communicate with her son, he didn’t know what the prescription was for and passed on getting it—with its $500 price tag—until he could learn more.
In the meantime, he was referred to a different doctor in Owensboro for a December appointment.
But he didn’t live that long.
On Thanksgiving night, he collapsed in the shower. On the ambulance ride to the hospital in Owensboro he died. Nick was 31.
Family and friends were stunned. They only knew he’d been having problems with his leg, said Amy Payne.
The cause of his death was thrombosis, which is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel. Amy Payne said a blood clot “traveled up his leg and got into his lungs and exploded.”
Amy said family had no idea of the ramifications of his painful leg, and neither did her son.
“He was so used to his leg hurting that he didn’t realize the severity of the pain,” she said.
They also didn’t know much about the medical condition “thrombosis,” which is why each year since Nick’s death they’ve held a 5K in his honor. The family wants more people to learn about thrombosis and its possible consequences. Medical websites say 1 in 4 deaths worldwide are caused by thrombosis.
“This is why we do this,” Amy Payne said. “Because people don’t realize. We’re just trying to make people aware.”
The Nick Payne Memorial 5K for World Thrombosis will be Oct. 5 at the Sandy Lee Watkins Park in Hebbardsville. Signups start at 7:30 a.m. with the race going off at 9 a.m. Entrance fee is $25.
There will also be a silent auction and a gun raffle. The raffle will include a Henry Side Gate Lever Action .410 shotgun and a Weatherby Orion I 12-gauge shotgun.
Amy said Nick was a farmer and loved everything about the outdoors—fishing and hunting—so the gun auction would be right up his alley.
Information and contact information for all the events can be found at the Facebook page “World Thrombosis Day-Nick Payne memorial 5K walk/run.”
Amy Payne said participants who want a T-shirt should order by Sept. 12.
The memorial event is held each year right about World Thrombosis Day, which is Oct. 13.
“(Nick’s wife Amber) tries to make sure it’s around this time,” Amy Payne said.
