Australian student Zander, 21, had a headache as he boarded a flight. Three hours later he collapsed in an airport terminal... one hour later he was pronounced dead

By OLIVIA DAY, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR, AUSTRALIA Published: 01:26, 24 April 2026 | Updated: 01:47, 24 April 2026 The nephew of a leading chef for a top AFL team has tragically died just four hours after he began experiencing symptoms of meningococcal disease while overseas. Alexander 'Zander' Philogenes, 21, died in an Austrian hospital on April 11, six days after he embarked on a holiday in Portugal with friends.  Zander, who was in his fourth year of a chemical engineering and finance double degree, fell in love with the coastal city of Porto and decided to stay a few more days. However, tragedy struck when he boarded his flight home to Vienna, where he was spending six months on a university exchange program. Zander texted friends that he wasn't feeling well, and by the end of the three-hour flight had developed a headache, a rash, and was short of breath and dizzy.  Upon touching down in Vienna, the 21-year-old went into cardaic arrest at the airport and was rushed via helicopter to the nearest hospital.  He was pronounced dead a short time later, just four hours after developing symptoms of meningococcal sepsis he had contracted in Porto.  His uncle, Chris Jarmer, and his sister Jessica - Zander's mother - are still coming to terms with the devastating loss. Alexander 'Zander' Philogenes, 21, died in an Austrian hospital on April 11, six days after he embarked on a four-day holiday in Portugal with friends (he is pictured with  his Uncle Chris)  'He was living his best life. He looked so happy and healthy,' Jessica told The Advertiser of the final FaceTime the pair shared (mother and son are pictured) Zander, who was in his fourth year of a chemical engineering and finance double degree, fell in love with the coastal city of Porto (pictured) and decided to stay a few more days 'He was living his best life. He looked so happy and healthy,' Jessica told The Advertiser of the final FaceTime the pair shared.  'It's so tragic. We've cried a river and still do. He was such a gifted student, highly intelligent, and he had a love of life.' It's believed Zander, who was vaccinated, contracted a particularly lethal strain of meningococcal disease currently circulating in Europe. None of his fellow travellers have reported any symptoms following the trip.  His family have discouraged young people from travelling alone, saying Zander may have sought medical treatment earlier if he had someone with him.  Family friend Louise Williams described Zander as a 'truly kind and beautiful soul' on a GoFundMe campaign raising funds for his school.  'Our entire community is heartbroken for the Philogenes family, and so many of us are feeling helpless - wishing we could take even a small part of this pain away,' she said. 'This is one way we can come together to support them. Any contribution, no matter how small, will support the family through the incredibly difficult days ahead.' It's believed Zander, who was vaccinated, contracted a particularly devastating strain of meningococcal disease currently circulating in Europe Zander, a devoted Crows supporter, will be honoured with a personalised guernsey with the number 21 on the back and his name.  Early symptoms of meningococcal B - the most common and aggressive strain of the disease in the UK currently - can be frustratingly vague.  Like flu, it often begins with a sudden fever, headache, nausea, muscle aches and a general sense of feeling unwell. Because these symptoms overlap with common viral infections – or even a hangover – cases are sometimes missed in the crucial early hours. A rash that does not fade when pressed is a well-known warning sign, but it is often late – and may not appear at all. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.