Loved ones of a "superhero" dad have raised more than £17,000 in his memory. Dom Halpin died aged 33 just four weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
A passionate member of the Red Wall supporters club, Dom had always dreamed of seeing Wales' football team get to a World Cup. The B&Q Newport worker died on April 15 before he could see his country clinch a place at the tournament, but his image was shown on the big screen at last Sunday's play-off victory against Ukraine in the Cardiff City Stadium. Wales captain Gareth Bale tweeted: "Really sad to hear of the passing of Dom Halpin, thoughts are with his family."
Dom, of Greenmeadow in Cwmbran, often said he would one day love to take his eight-year-old daughter Amelia to Disneyland, his lifelong friend Jamie Sinclair told WalesOnline. Jamie said Amelia was the most important thing in Dom's life and he would be overjoyed that she will be able to visit the theme park after £17,200 was raised in his memory.
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Jamie, who grew up with Dom in Pill, Newport, said: "He was one of those people in life who didn't really care what people thought about him. In today's world everyone has to wear a certain pair of trainers or drive a certain car to impress people. Dom was not that kind of person. He spent his money on trips away with his daughter. They went to Butlins every year, they'd go to afternoon shows, go on bike rides together, and they'd eat pepperoni pizza while watching the wrestling. He really was her superhero. If I'm half the dad Dom was, I will be happy.
"Sometimes when people don't care what others think of them, they aren't well-liked, but with Dom it was the opposite. He didn't want to be a people-pleaser, but for some reason he was, and people loved him. He had a very dry sense of humour."
As a child Dom played football on the streets of Pill with Jamie and their friends. When they were about 15 they started a team called the Docks Cons FC, and after an abysmal first year when they failed to win a single game, they won the league the following season. "Growing up none of us had much," said Jamie. "This was what brought us together.
"Dom never had many passions in life other than his daughter, but he was a massive Welsh football fan," the 32-year-old added. "It was amazing to see his photo up at the biggest game in Welsh football."
Jamie remembers his year living with Dom during the Covid pandemic as a time of BBQs, beer and FIFA video games. "His FIFA skills were just as bad as his tackling skills in real life," Jamie laughed. "It was a difficult time and I was on furlough, but we were there for each other. Dom was everyone's shoulder — his colleagues, friends and family.
"Six of us were best friends — me, Dom, Peter Fordham, Chris Reynolds, Lee Drew and Luke Hollyoake. We'd go for an annual lads' holiday in Newquay. We were never very cool growing up and as we got older we thought we might as well admit it, so we called ourselves the Inbetweeners. We wouldn't go to the best of pubs but we made some special memories."
Four weeks before his death Dom was diagnosed with cancer, which had spread from his stomach to other organs and his spine. "We kind of knew he hadn't been very well because he'd been complaining about pains and he was having tests," said Jamie. "Typical Dom, he was like, 'It will be OK.' But when he told me what it was, I knew it wouldn't be. He was never one to show weakness but there was one moment two weeks before he passed away, when I went to see him and told him my dog had died. During the time we'd lived together it was just me, Dom and my dog. And when I told him, he started crying. I wondered then if he knew he didn't have much longer.
"He passed away on Good Friday. In our friendship group, deep down we felt as prepared as much as we could be, but it still rocked our world. We started a new WhatsApp group because we didn't want it to say messages were unread by Dom."
Dom, who was department manager at Newport's B&Q store, was hugely popular with his colleagues. Jamie said: "On the day of the funeral there must have been 30 B&Q workers in their uniform, and when the coffin went in they lined the doors. In total there were 200 or 300 people."
Dom's friend Lee was "incredible" in organising a charity football match and raffle which raised £6,200 for Amelia, Jamie added. Some 200 spectators watched and about 60 players took part as the Dock Cons reunited last month for the game. "As you can imagine, a few of the kits were a lot tighter than they used to be," Jamie joked.
The match proceeds and the £11,000 raised by Dom's B&Q colleagues will allow his ex-wife Danika Jones to take Amelia to Disneyland and give her other special experiences. And next year Jamie, Lee and Chris will do a 200-mile bike ride fundraiser to their long-time holiday destination Newquay. "The money will go in a trust and pay for a holiday for Amelia each year," said Jamie. "We want her to make the memories her dad wanted her to have."
Jamie hopes the campaign will also raise awareness that people should get a check-up if they have an ache or pain. You can donate to the B&Q team's fundraiser here.
