The heartbroken family of a young man found dead in his flat in Edinburgh have paid tribute to a 'loving son, nephew and brother'.
Allan Johnstone was tragically found at his flat in Gorgie on April 12, aged just 26. In the wake of the tragedy, his heartbroken family have hailed Allan as 'always someone who put others before himself'.
His loved ones say they are still recovering from shock after it took authorities nine days to inform them of his passing, due to Allan removing his next-of-kin details. . Uncle Wayne Muir, 35, and his wife Danielle have since set up a fundraiser to try to raise £4,000 for Allan's mum, Karen Tant, 44, so that she can be allowed the space to mourn without having to worry about the financial impact of a funeral, Edinburgh Live reports.
“He was amazing and had a heart of gold,” Danielle said. He would help anyone out and would give the last of his money to you, he was all about giving rather than taking.
“He was my nephew but felt more like my little brother as I lived both with him and with my sister (Karen) in Burdiehouse and later Fife. We all hold memories of him being the one that would help you if you needed anything, he was always there for us.
“I remember family caravan holidays together and going to the shows in Kirkcaldy on the weekends. We’d often go to the local park and get the geese to chase us for our bread.
“He adored his two little sisters and was such a devoted big brother, he always made sure that they did not go without. Allan was also a proud Scot who loved everything to do with the country. He also loved MMA and combat sports in general.”
Danielle says that Allan began to struggle with mental health at around the age of 18 or 19. Allan had moved away from his family to the Gorgie area of the capital as he tried to shield them from his deteriorating mental health.
The family say that they wish more could have been done to help Allan before his death.
“Unfortunately Allan got to the stage where he struggled with trust and his anxiety really took over which meant we would sometimes not hear from him for a couple of weeks. But he would always pop back up asking how everyone was and checking in.
“We want to give him a really special send off as it is about letting him know how much we truly loved him and to give him the goodbye he deserves. He was a massive Hibee and so we have contacted the club to see if there is anything that they can do for us.
“We just want to take the pressure off of Karen as it is so unexpected to lose your son at such a young age. As a family we do not have money and will try to scrimp and save but ultimately we may need a little help to give him a proper send off.
“I cannot stress how much he was loved by everyone in the family, from his mum, aunties, cousins and sisters - we will miss him so much.”
If you would like to support the family's GoFundMe please click here.
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