James Hart, 29, from Mantua, New Jersey, died suddenly on March 30 while traveling in Cambodia. He posted this picture on his blog in February after realizing one of his dreams of seeing the tigers in Thailand

'We'll never know how he died but that's OK': Mother of backpacker, 29, who mysteriously dropped dead while traveling in Cambodia reflects on son 'who lived a short but wonderful life'

• James Hart, from Mantua, New Jersey, died on March 30 after collapsing on a Cambodian street following several days of illness
• The 29-year-old's body was cremated due to a lack of proper refrigeration at the morgue in the region
• His mother Donna Holmes Hart told MailOnline today: 'He lived a short life but a wonderful life. He was so happy'
• Cambodian authorities declared his cause of death as a cardiac arrest
• The 29-year-old had been traveling with a friend in South-East Asia

Daily Mail (UK) | 2 April 2014

The mother of a young man who died suddenly while backpacking through South-East Asia told MailOnline today that although his family will never know what caused his death, they can take comfort in the incredible life he had and how many people's lives he touched. 

James Hart, 29, from Mantua, New Jersey, died on March 30 after collapsing in a Cambodian street following several days of illness on his five-month trip. 

His mom Donna Holmes Hart spoke on Wednesday about her 'full of life, clever son' who was a 'rock' to his younger siblings, made friends everywhere he went and spent days getting lost in bookstores. 

She said: 'Jimmy looked at life in a special way, he believed that you have to live for every minute. He lived a short life but it was a wonderful one.'

James Hart, who was traveling through South-East Asia died suddenly on March 30 after feeling ill for several days. He posted this picture in late January as he began his five-month trip in Thailand

Mr Hart had left the U.S. in January with his friend Derek Miller. The pair traveled around Thailand and Laos, before recently riding motorbikes from Vietnam into Cambodia, where they stayed on an isolated island without electricity.

Last week, the two friends began suffering from headaches, diarrhea and vomiting, forcing them to attend a tourists' clinic for basic treatment.

A short time later, Mr Hart collapsed in the street and despite resting, passed out again a short time later. Mr Miller rushed his friend to hospital but Mr Hart was pronounced dead on Sunday. 

His mother said: 'Jimmy sent me an email the day before he died saying that he had been really sick for two days. He didn't complain - instead he said he had saved $50 for traveling because he wasn't able to eat.

'He said that he was feeling better but Derek told us that he had been feeling light-headed, very weak.'

Donna Hart said that her son was in great health and had never been in hospital. He loved going to the gym every day, eating well and hiking.

Before he left on his trip, Mr Hart and his mom, who works in healthcare, researched diseases that are specific to the region along with rates of infection. 

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James Hart and his friend Derek Miller (pictured on March 22) both fell ill while traveling through South-East Asia. Mr Hart, who was in great health and had taken precautions against tropical diseases, died a few days later

Mr Hart had also visited a specialist travel doctor in Philadelphia for immunizations and was fully prepared, carrying prophylactics and antibiotics in his backpack. 

 

Mr Hart's cause of death is unknown and will remain so after his body was cremated due to a lack of proper refrigeration at the morgue in the region. Cambodian authorities declared his cause of death as cardiac arrest. 

Donna Hart said today that despite the fact she will never know how or why her son died - one person mentioned an aneurysm, another told her it could have been a bacterial infection - it will not change the fact he is gone. 

She said: 'In the moments before he died, I was told he came to, slapped someone on the arm, and said ''I'm going to be OK.''

'Knowing how he died won't change anything. He was so happy when he was traveling. He inspired so many other people.'

She added: 'We were very close and I pushed him to follow whatever he wanted to do. I told him ''I'm behind you 100 per cent.'''

James' younger brother Donnie Hart, who was the first to find out about his brother's death, told MailOnline today that he was struggling to come to terms with the devastating news. 

The 26-year-old said: 'The hardest part is not knowing. It's not like he was hit by a car here in the U.S. We don't know what happened.'

James Hart, who attended Widener and Arizona State Universities, had also attended the Los Angeles Academy of Performing Arts and had dreams of becoming a film producer, his brother said.   

The 29-year-old worked for Apple in California in his mid-twenties and later returned to work for the company in Philadelphia. However the 9-5 life was not for him and he decided to leave the rat race behind in favor of seeing the world.

Donnie Hart, who is a professional wrestler, said his brother believed there was 'more to life' than fancy clothes and flashy cars. 

James had saved up, sold his belongings and started to travel - much like his idol Jack Kerouac.  

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James Hart, pictured left, around Christmas time with his brother Donnie and sister Brooke

In 2012, the two brothers embarked on a road trip across the U.S. that was inspired by James'love of Kerouac's classic On The Road, Donnie said.  

James had a quote from the Beat novel, 'mad to live', tattooed on his upper arm in Venice Beach, California, before the pair set off on their drive across country. 

Donnie Hart said: 'He was the first person I called to ask advice. He was always the smart, wise one.'

The brothers also both had the same word 'ditto' as a tattoo - a reminder of what they would say to their mom when she told them she loved them. James had his inked across his heart. 

James Hart's mother Donna has received messages of condolence from her son's friends across the world, many of whom he had met on his travels.

 

Ms Hart said that a young woman whom her son had stayed with in Madrid had gotten in touch to share how James had taken her a park in her home city that she never knew existed.

Another friend from France, whose apartment Mr Hart had 'couch-surfed' at, described him running across a highway to capture a picture of a sunset. 

Ms Hart said: 'Someone who Jimmy met on a plane for a few hours when he was flying to Iceland sent me a message saying that he had inspired her to travel.

'I want to be sad but I can't because all these people are reaching out to me, even people he had just spent a few moments with, telling me how he affected their lives.'

She added: 'I expected this from his friends but these are only people who had known him for a day or a few hours. I knew him, but I didn't know about all of this.'

James Hart first headed to Europe in 2013 and walked the Way of St James, a historic route of pilgrims through Spain. 

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James Hart posted this picture on March 19, relaxing on a beach on a Cambodian Island

Donna Hart said: 'He was so impressed that he stayed another two weeks to attend Mass in Santiago de Compostela. He had a wonderful time, he just loved talking to people.

'The walk gave him a different way of looking at people and he was humbled by those he had met.'

His mom said that she was surprised by his plan to travel to Asia but supported what he wanted to do. She said: 'Jimmy wanted to see the tigers, the elephants and every temple and every church.'

She remembered how the night before his trip he had stayed up late watching the movie of On The Road. 

'He always had something, a look in his eyes that said ''let's go,''' she said of her son.

Mr Hart posted dozens of photos on social media of his South-East Asia trip which he embarked on in January with a close friend

Mr Hart's social media accounts and blog, If I Were Going are testament to the 29-year-old's love of travel. They are filled with pictures of pristine beaches, treks through the jungle, a visit to a tiger sanctuary and hanging out with fellow travelers at moonlit parties. 

James Hart is survived by his parents Donna and James Hart Snr, his brother Donnie and 28-year-old sister Brooke. 

Funeral arrangements have been scheduled for April 12 in Mantua, New Jersey. Hundreds of people are expected to attend including Mr Hart's friends from as far afield as Spain and Italy. 

Mr Hart's ashes are being brought home from Cambodia by his friend Derek Miller. 

A fundraising page, Mad To Live RIP James Hart, has been set up to bring home Mr Hart's ashes. It has raised close to $15,000 in one day. 

The 29-year-old posted dozens of pictures of his adventures across the world before his untimely death. He posted this one last month while swimming with friends in Cambodia