Family devastated after shock death of Blackburn man, 26 (From Blackburn Citizen)

Family devastated after shock death of Blackburn man, 26

8:00am Monday 9th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(9)

A 26-YEAR-old man died suddenly just hours after his family were told he would soon be discharged from hospital.

Ralph Easton’s parents said they had been left devastated by the death of their ‘affectionate’ and ‘popular’ son, who was taken ill with pneumonia on Monday.

He was admitted to Royal Blackburn for treatment and appeared to be doing well but then became seriously ill.

Dad Ralph, of Billinge End Road, Blackburn, said that on the Sunday before his death his son had enjoyed chopping logs with his cousin.

Ralph said: “He had a great day but when he woke up on Monday he wasn’t feeling so good and took a paracetamol.

“We took him to the doctors on Monday afternoon and they referred him to the hospital.”

Doctors at the hospital said he had pneumonia but it was not life threatening and Ralph junior was transferred to a fast track ward so he could return home.

Mum Denise, who works as a teacher on a children’s medical unit at Royal Blackburn Hospital, said: “We hoped he was coming home late Thursday or Friday. He had no heart monitors or drips or anything like that.

“We saw him on Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening where I kissed him goodnight.

“Then we had a phone call at 7.10am on Thursday morning that he had taken a turn for the worst.

“We got to the hospital and they told us they were doing all they could. But I just knew.

“The whole world stopped, I thought it’s not our boy, he is too full of life.”

The couple said they missed everything about their son, a former Our Lady and St John Catholic College student, and his death has left a ‘massive hole’ in their lives.

But they added that they were determined to celebrate his life.

Denise said: “We had something very, very precious and we still have it, we had 26 years with Ralph. I wish we had him a lot longer, no one should have to bury their children.

“Words cannot convey what he was but he was very special, he was unique, he was like a little star shooting off in different directions. He had a twinkle in his eye.

“He didn’t have a bad bone in his body and he never held a grudge.

“We have been overwhelmed by the letters and phone calls from people he knew.

Ralph junior, who studied mechanics at Blackburn College and was working at Three Bs Brewery in Fensicowles, was the couple’s eldest son. They also have daughter Lucy, 22, a psychology graduate and Adam, 20, who works in the pharmacy in Beardwood Hospital.

Ralph senior, who ran a fish stall on Blackburn Market, said: “He was a normal 26-year-old lad, he loved music, his car and girls.

“He had a lot of respect for other people. Everybody said how lovely he was, we did not realise how many people’s lives he had touched.

“He was a lovely and nice lad.

“Someone said to us that he always had a smile on his face and when he left he would leave you with one.

“He was happy and we are very lucky to have had him.

“The respect and affection he had for people would shine through in everything, that’s how we like to think of him.”

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(9)