01 December 2023 , 14:15
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The son of a popular former amateur football coach has warned about the dangers of hidden heart conditions after the shock of his father's sudden death.
Granddad and dad-of-four Kevin Lewis died after a sudden cardiac arrest while having a massage in May 2022 at the age of 62. Son Luke Lewis, 32, has now spoken out, describing his father as a 'big character' with his death 'completely out of the blue'.
Kevin was a well-known local character in Stockport, Greater Manchester, where for years he coached the Apollo Juniors football team, with many former players attending his funeral. He was also father to two sons and two daughters, including his grown-up daughter, Claudia, and six year old, Sienna, after remarrying.
Luke said his father suffered from a bad back for years and that it was "really giving him some grief" so he went to a parlour for a massage. During that appointment, his heart stopped.
Kevin Lewis, pictured with daughter Sienna, died after a sudden cardiac arrest (No credit)Speaking about the shock of his father's death, he said: "It wasn't like cancer that happens slowly, it was a shock, I can't even get my head over it a year and half down the line." He added: "They couldn't give us a solid answer, it's one of those where we assume it's something like a blocked artery, but truth be told they can't go into that much detail."
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Kevin's cardiac arrest came as a surprise to everyone, Manchester Evening News reports, being described as 'fit, pretty active and always out walking'. Luke, originally from Stockport but now living in Cheadle Hulme, shared how active his dad was, saying: "He lived up in Marple so was always out walking.
"In the latter stages, he was doing property renovation stuff, he was doing work on his own house, so he was up and down ladders doing all sorts on the house, so he was fairly active hence why it was a shock." Since losing his dad, Luke has decided that his whole family will get their heart health checked.
He spoke about the challenges of spotting symptoms for hidden heart conditions and the difficulties in trying to prevent them. Now, Luke is also encouraging others to do what they can to stay ahead of a potentially deadly problem.
"It's a really complicated one, your mind starts to wander a lot of the time," Luke admitted. "Why me? What did he do? Look at his diet and his background.
"For a young man, I'm 32 I've got two kids and it scares the living daylights out of you. If there's anyone out there with a history of heart related disease they should get checked."
Conor Lewis with Luke's son Oscar Lewis, and sister Claudia's daughter, Ada Jowitt (Danielle Parkinson)He emphasised that those with family histories of heart-related problems should be able to ask for an echocardiogram to check on general heart health. In memory of their dad and to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation (BHF), Luke, alongside his brother Connor Lewis and family friend Mark Aspinall, took part in the Tatton Park Half Marathon on last month.
And after braving a 13.1-mile race in wet and windy conditions, the brave trio managed to raise over £2000 in just a few weeks for the charity. "Over the moon, absolutely over the moon- It started with close family then friends and it just started shooting up because he knew so many people," Luke shared at the time.
"It shows what can be done when people come together." Luke stressed the importance of raising awareness about hidden heart conditions, continuing: "It was firstly important to raise awareness - that was the key thing, the human heart, and the complexities of it."
"Prevention is it diet or do people need to get checked out more often with things like this? It's all about raising awareness that will lead to protecting themselves and their families."
Conor Lewis left, Luke Lewis middle, Mark Aspinall, nicknamed Wingy, right (Claudia Lewis)BHF Fundraising Manager for Greater Manchester, Leah Wood, expressed her condolences but also praised the boys' efforts. She said: "I am really sorry to hear about Luke and Conor's dad, but I am sure he would be incredibly proud of his sons for taking on this fundraising challenge. Unfortunately, sudden, and unexpected deaths like this can happen which is why BHF research into heart disease is so important to try and understand why."
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The NHS has listed symptoms of a cardiac arrest which include chest pain, feeling lightheaded or dizzy, sweating, shortness of breath, feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting), an overwhelming feeling of anxiety (similar to a panic attack) and coughing or wheezing. If you or anyone around you experiences these symptoms, dial 999 immediately. You can show your support for Luke and Conor by visiting their Just Giving page here.
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