A family's world has been "turned upside down" after a much-loved husband and dad went to work and never came home.
Gary Porter, from St Helens, began to feel unwell on December 13 with pains in his back and stomach. But the next morning, not wanting to let anyone down, he left for work at 4.30am as a lorry driver.
Just a short time later, wife Lyndsey received a phone call to say he had been rushed to hospital in Cambridgeshire after "slipping at work". But tragically, the 47-year-old did not make it to the hospital after he died at the scene from a stomach aneurysm that stopped his heart.
READ MORE: Nan thought brother with dementia was dead until she saw Facebook post
Paying tribute to her loving husband, Lyndsey told the ECHO: "The day before it happened he said he didn’t feel very well, I told him go the walk in but he said no that was typical Gary didn’t like to bother people. He left for work at 4.30am Wednesday morning, said he still didn’t feel well.
"I told him not to go to work and he said I can’t let work down. Gary worked was a lorry driver who worked for JKP and never had a day off in 16 years. He worked six days a week to provide for his family because he only wanted the best for his family. Gary was the main breadwinner and we lived on his income.
"Not only has our worlds been turned upside down we have all the financial burden with it. Gary adored his children Millie and Erith and did everything with them took them everywhere. Even coming home after a 15 hour shift.
"Erith our son plays rugby and he took him to every training game and every match. He was a hard working man, the best husband and the best father to his children. He never said a bad word about anyone and no one ever said a bad word about him. He would go out of his way to help anyone even people he didn't know. He was the glue to our family, the strong one."
With no insurance to fall back on, the family now also face the horrifying prospect of losing their home. A fundraising page has been set up to help the family through. Having met Gary 19 years ago online, the pair knew it "would be forever".
As he moved to St Helens from Kent, the rest was history as the pair started their own family. Lyndsey now fears she will lose her family home, which holds all of their precious memories.
Lyndsey added: "For three hours I’d believed he had just slipped which his work employees had told me. I was phoning every hospital in Cambridgeshire not knowing the truth my husband was no longer here. It’s bad enough losing anyone at anytime but a week before Christmas and no goodbyes.
"Me and his children are truly heartbroken I don’t know how our life’s will ever be the same again. He was truly the best a loving husband father, son in law, brother in law and friend."
The fundraising page has already raised more than £2,000 as messages of support come pouring in. The fundraiser, set up by Blackbrook Royals JRLFC, can be found here.
The fundraiser reads: "Gary was one of the most gentle and kindest souls you could ever meet who cherished his family and would have moved heaven and earth for them. Gary was a very proud husband to Lyndsey and dad to Millie and Erith. Like with most families Gary was the bread winner as Lyndsey was a mum to two young children.
"The family have now found themselves in the most horrendous of circumstances, not only have they got to come to terms with losing their HERO, they also face the reality of potentially losing their home - the home that holds the most cherished memories of their beloved Gary, as like many families Gary had no life insurance and the company he worked for had no death in service payment.
"At the age of 47 you would never expect him to go out the door never to return. Gary was a proud helper at LSH rugby union where he organised all the fixtures and a proud supporter of Blackbrook Royals the two teams that his son Erith plays for.
"Gary loved watching his son play and we are convinced he will continue to do so from the heavens above. (Rainbows will be shining on match days)."
According to the NHS, a stomach aneurysm can be dangerous if it is not spotted early on. It can get bigger over time and could burst (rupture), causing life-threatening bleeding.
Despite Gary not experiencing any symptoms apart from feeling unwell, common signs can include a pulsing sensation in the tummy, tummy pain that does not go away and lower back pain that does not go away. If ruptured, symptoms include sudden and severe pain, dizziness, fainting or passing out, fast heartbeat and shortness of breath.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT:
Light a Christmas candle to remember a loved one on our map of tributes
Burglar's shocking crime spree ended when he killed nurse
21 things you only know if you grew up on the border of Merseyside
Live updates as police incident causes Wallasey Kingsway tunnel delays
Job losses and cut backs announced days before Christmas at Jaguar Land Rover
