A father in Edmonton, Prashant Sreekuma, tragically died after an agonizing eight-hour wait in a hospital emergency room, sparking outrage and a fierce reaction from Elon Musk.
Sreekuma initially experienced severe chest pains at work and was rushed to Grey Nuns Hospital. Despite reporting pain levels of “15 out of 10,” initial tests showed no immediate concerns, and he was given only Tylenol while his family waited for a doctor’s assessment.
The agonizing wait continued for hours. When a doctor finally arrived, Sreekuma collapsed moments after sitting down, suffering a fatal heart attack in front of his father.
His wife, overwhelmed with grief, shared a heartbreaking video online detailing the ordeal. She recounted arriving at the hospital at 12:20 p.m. and not being seen by a physician until 8:50 p.m., despite her husband’s escalating symptoms and rising blood pressure.
She described a system that dismissed her husband’s pain as “not an acute problem,” leaving him without critical care. The widow powerfully stated that the hospital’s inaction led to her husband’s death, and she was even reprimanded by security for her distress.
Elon Musk responded to the viral video with sharp criticism, comparing government-run healthcare to the notoriously slow Department of Motor Vehicles. He bluntly stated that such systems deliver care “about as good as the DMV.”
Musk further suggested a future solution, promising that his artificial intelligence, Grok, and Tesla’s humanoid robot, Optimus, would offer superior healthcare for everyone. He reiterated his belief that these technologies could surpass the limitations of current government-funded systems.
The tragedy highlights a broader issue within the Canadian healthcare system. Reports indicate that over 74,000 Canadians have died while waiting for necessary medical treatments since 2018, with over 15,000 deaths occurring in the last year alone.
Covenant Health, which operates Grey Nuns Hospital, expressed condolences to the family but declined to comment on specific details of the case, stating that Sreekuma “was receiving care.” The incident is currently under investigation by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The family and countless others are left grappling with the devastating loss and questioning a system seemingly unable to provide timely, life-saving care when it’s needed most.
