A dad who went to work one morning and never came home made a promise to his young sons.
Kelly Orford was at home when she received a visit from police officers which "devastated" her world. Her partner of 14 years Henry Nangai, 43, had gone to work as a security guard before he suddenly collapsed and never woke up.
Suffering from a sudden cardiac arrhythmia, Kelly's eldest son Mekhi, 11, "screamed in pain" when he was told about his dad's death. But as the family deal with their grief together, Kelly wants to carry out Henry's last promise to their sons.
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He had promised to take 11-year-old Mekhi to watch LFC in person and his five-year-old Kaian to watch Manchester United. Kelly, originally from Prescot, said young Mekhi is "LFC mad" and it would "be a dream come true", to carry out that wish.
But she is struggling and is appealing for any help to "get the ball rolling". Speaking to the ECHO, Kelly - who now lives in Manchester with her sons - said: "It was August last year he went to work and never came home. He was a security guard at the Trafford Centre and he was in the process of sorting out the boys' Christmas presents going to watch the matches but he died.
"He just dropped and didn't wake up. Detectives came to my door to tell me and when I woke to tell my eldest his dad had died, he screamed in pain, that voice will haunt me forever. Before he died he promised my little one he would take him to Manchester United match and Mekhi to see Liverpool and I want to make that happen.
"I'm trying my best to find tickets but I know nothing about football. I don't want anything for free I'm happy to pay I just want the opportunity to make him smile. I'm trying to make those promises come true but it's really hard."
Kelly said Henry was healthy prior to his sudden death and had not experienced any symptoms, describing it as "like when a football player just drops on a pitch". But in the hopes of making their dreams come true, she says she is "getting nowhere".
Kelly added: "I'm from Liverpool and although my son is born in Manchester, despite the banter and the hate, he's a red through and through. He loves visiting Liverpool and staying at my mum's. He should've been born here really he speaks like a Scouser and says things like Lolly-ice.
"Liverpool is his favourite place, he loves going on the ferry with his nan. I got him a tour of Anfield for Christmas and he just wants to see his favourite players now more than ever.
"He just loves LFC. Henry used to call fans glory hunters who only watch the big matches, but my son has watched every game and his dream is to watch his favourite player Mo Salah on the pitch. He knows everything about him."
Kelly has posted her request on social media and has been inundated with tips and messages of support. She told the ECHO: "I'd just really like to make that happen. Their dad said they would sort it out for them and now I don't even know where to start.
"He was my love. I've always had these conversations about death since my dad died young and Henry said if he was to die young he wouldn't want to be buried alone, he'd want to be buried in Uganda so that's what we did.
"But our Visa didn't arrive in time and we didn't have enough money to attend his burial so his family have organised for us to go in February to see his grave so we won't be around from February 9 to 20 but we are around any other time this season if anyone at all can help get us to a match."
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