Vale Luke Kypri, a 19-year-old Novocastrian with the world at his feet, who fought a sudden and debilitating illness to the end

Luke, 19, was a student at the University of Otago.

He was admitted to hospital on December 26 with what was initially thought to be influenza or glandular fever but which was soon diagnosed as a rare and life-threatening auto-immune condition, hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

The Newcastle Herald reported the crisis on January 13.

Luke's father, Newcastle academic Dr Kypros Kypri, said yesterday that despite various times when his son's condition appeared to be improving, the doctors told the family on January 26 that "there was no point in continuing treatment".

"Luke had been intent on overcoming this dreadful misfortune, on resuming his studies, on continuing to love, and be loved by, his beautiful partner Abby," Dr Kypri said.

The doctors gave Luke "hours, or a few days", but "he somehow kept on for another 10 days".

"Luke's condition stabilised but he was still very sick, and there remained great uncertainty as to what triggered the HLH."

"The difficulties over the following fortnight are too complex and painful to describe in detail now.

"It was so hard to accept that Luke could not be saved. He suffered immensely, even with the extraordinary efforts of all who treated him. He was remarkable in his mental presence and fortitude.

"We suffered the anguish of being unable to do much more than be with him, and Luke knew that."

Luke's funeral will be held in Dunedin tomorrow, Thursday, February 10, and a memorial service is planned for Newcastle on the family's return.

Luke's stated preference, in lieu of flowers, is for any contributions to go to the The Life You Can Save (thelifeyoucansave.org), a charity aggregator established by world-renown Australian philosopher Peter Singer.

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