Tributes have been paid to a "sociable and unique" young actor from North Belfast.
Joseph Ritch died on the evening of Wednesday, March 23, five days after a "physical altercation" in the Flax Street area of Ardoyne.
The 31-year-old had sustained a "wound to his neck" in the incident and was subsequently taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment for his injuries.
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Originally from Lerwick on the Shetland Islands, Joe moved to Northern Ireland with his family in 1996.
Speaking to Belfast Live, Joe's mum Cindy Ritch said her beloved son was "such a kind person", emphasising through organ donation he will be able to save three others.
She added: "We should find out in a couple of weeks if the organ transplants were successful as things can go wrong. We want to make organ donation an acceptable and uplifting practice as this will make us feel something is left behind to honour Joe’s life. He was such a kind person and would be really happy to leave such a legacy.
"His bear hugs were legendary, when you were caught up in one, you became a passenger because your feet left the ground and he crushed you to him as if he wanted to absorb you.
"The thought of somebody being able to do that to their loved ones because he enabled them to survive makes me grateful to have carried him and known him all his life."
In the wake of his passing, Joe's mum Cindy, her partner, Joe's brother Emmet and sister Freya are being comforted by family and friends.
Patrick Duncan was Joe's agent and a family friend for the past 15 years, first stumbling across the aspiring actor when 16-years-old and doing parkour in Belfast city centre with a group of friends.
Joe's acting credits included a stand-in for Harry Treadaway in adventure movie City of Ember, which also starred Saoirse Ronan and Bill Murray.
He also starred in Northern Ireland Screen feature film Cup Cake, as well as a health promotion film about the issue of suicide and had a number of roles for the BBC.
Describing Joe, who had Asperger's Syndrome, as "an extraordinary soul", he said: "He was very interested in people. Joe was very untypical, very unique. Everybody who talked to him knew there was something about him that they liked.
"I'll always think of his remarkable sociability. He was determined to live in the world, to try and understand it. He didn't see things as difficult. He was so young - he died young and beautiful.
"You could always guarantee Joe wouldn't be dull, he would always interest you. You see so much love pour out on Facebook now from people who knew him, and on whom he made a strong impression.
"He always felt he could make friends and couldn't keep them, but that's not true - he had a lot of very long-term friends."
Patrick added that Joe was a "very good runner", as well as being good at parkour, free-running and football. He added that his manner was always "friendly and direct, with underlying vulnerability."
Owing to an interest in people, Joe had been studying Psychology at Belfast Met.
Patrick continued: "Joe leaves grandparents in Shetland and London bereft and many friends, chums, mates and girlfriends heart-broken. He really had a very unique personality.
"He tried to overcome the mystery of his own neuro-untypical way of thinking by taking a strong and deep interest in other people."
In 2012, Joe raised more than £5,000 for the charity Autism NI through street collections and by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
Patrick said Joe always acknowledged the experience was "physically and mentally tough but spiritually rewarding" as it allowed him to overcome his own challenges, and led to further travels to South Africa, Canada, and Mexico.
"These moments are a strange opportunity to reflect on how extraordinary a life he had," Patrick added.
Police are appealing for information following Joseph's death after the incident on March 18.
Detective Inspector Ian Davis said: "Police received a report just after 6.40am on Friday 18 March, of a physical altercation at an address in Flax Street, North Belfast.
“Mr Ritch, having sustained a wound to his neck, was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries, but tragically passed away.
“A 30-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder was later released pending further enquiries.
"Detectives are appealing to anyone with information to contact them on 101, quoting reference number 478 of 18/03/22.
"Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org."
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