A loving father tragically died on Christmas Day after suffering from a heart attack. Gareth Blenkins was just 40 years old. He leaves behind a 15-year-old son.
Gareth, also known affectionately as Gaz, was enjoying the festive day with his loved ones, when he went outside for a cigarette. When he went back inside he was “laughing and joking" but then he just clutched his chest, fell to the floor and began having a fit.
He was rushed to hospital but it was "too late", his heartbroken cousin Damien Sharpe says. “His brain went for too long without oxygen. Unfortunately, he didn’t come round from it.”
“He was strong, he’d do anything for anybody, very protective. Sometimes he’d be quite shy but if he noticed you were sad, he’d always say ‘Do you need a Blenkins cuddle?’ I’ll never forget those words,” Damien exclusively told Leeds Live.
He says his cousin Gaz had only just celebrated his 40th birthday and was a big sports fan supporting Leeds United and Leeds Rhinos.
Damien, who works as a lorry driver, has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help raise money for Gareth’s funeral. Damien says Gareth had put all his money towards his son and hadn’t prepared any life insurance or any means to pay for a funeral.
He said: “I know he was loved and I know he touched a lot of people’s hearts. I just want to help the family out – especially with this happening over Christmas. Nobody expected this to happen.” The fundraiser can be accessed here.
