The family of a London man who died while hiking in Jamaica are mourning the "amazing" father of three as his body is repatriated to the UK.
Lewisham-born Robert Dyer, 60, was visiting his brother, a former London bus driver who moved to Jamaica, when he became lost while hiking in the Ballards Valley area of St Elizabeth a week ago.
Despite being a personal trainer and competent hiker, the prostate cancer survivor and prediabetic became dehydrated and disorientated and could not find his way out of the remote area, his son Lewis Dyer told the Standard.
The family are in the process of repatriating his body to the UK so a funeral can take place.
A widespread search involving local residents and emergency services ended when Dyer’s body was found last Thursday, confirming his family's worst fears.
Mr Dyer, who raised a family in Thamesmead, is survived by his three children and three grandchildren.
"He was a loved person and no one's got a bad word to say about him," Lewis told the Standard.
"It's hard because I'm trying to stay sane… because ultimately no one deserves anything like this."
Mr Dyer swapped his career in the City to become a personal trainer and helped disadvantaged children stay healthy, his son said.
"He loved to stay fit and he was a recent cancer survivor. That was already taking its toll on him and on the family.
"He would do talks with other men to help them through [cancer] and he was really keen on helping other people get through it.
"He went through all that and he wanted to give back and that's just the way he is.
"He used to do community fitness stuff as well. Kids who were overweight would come and he would try to help them lose weight."
He founded MaceMasters, a training company for a sport that uses ancient warrior techniques.
Lewis said: "Him and my mum often came out to visit because I live in Spain…and one of the first things he did is he built a [mace rod] for me.
"We went down to the beach and we did some training at the beach and he showed me some of the exercises and when he went to Jamaica, again, one of the first things he did was make a mace for my uncle."
Lewis said his dad was a keen hiker who was familiar with the St Elizabeth area, but he believes his father stayed in the Ballards Valley area for too long without water.
Disorientated, Mr Dyer called his brother but "he didn’t even know who he was talking to", Lewis said.
"They were desperately trying to get to him and get him out.
"The next day my mum called him and it was all very stressful and we were trying to not call him so that he had battery."
Lewis said his father's body was found by two local men who knew the area well.
"I want to highlight them as amazing individuals. There were hundreds of people out searching for my dad.
"Some of them taking days off… some of them didn't even know my uncle.
"I don't think people would do that anywhere else."
No "foul play" is suspected in his death, local police said.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in Jamaica and are in contact with the local authorities."
