A tragic teenager with a "beautiful soul" who died on holiday in a hotel bathroom had an undiagnosed deadly heart condition, his family said tonight.
Daniel Smyth's post-mortem found the 19-year-old man had cardiac arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat.
But he was unaware he had this condition and, during a family holiday in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria last week, the student collapsed in his hotel bathroom, and died instantly.
Speaking from her home in Coleraine, County Derry, Daniel's cousin Ellen Devenney-Adams told Mirror yesterday: "He had a heart condition, which he did not know about. It was a ticking time bomb basically because it was inevitable, it just happened to occur when he was on holiday."
Daniel, who Ellen says "had the most cheeky, infectious smile", went to bed early on Saturday night feeling poorly and woke in the early hours as a result. He went into the bathroom, but collapsed, smashing into and breaking part of the toilet, shower door and sink.
This flooded the bathroom and caused a leak in the hotel, which alerted staff to find Daniel's body.
He'd had a drink on Saturday evening but the post-mortem confirmed alcohol played no part in his death whatsoever.
Ellen, 26, continued: "We got a phone call with news about the post-mortem today. Doctors found he had this irregular heartbeat, called cardiac arrhythmia.
"He was a fit and healthy 19-year-old boy otherwise. It was just one of those things. His family are heartbroken and gutted. No one saw this coming at all.
"I can't imagine what they (immediate family) are feeling because Daniel was so close to everyone."
The teenager, from Coleraine, had just been accepted to study at Norwich University of the Arts, having completed a course in Interactive, Creative Media at college.
Graphic design, in particular, was his passion from a young age.
"He loved graphic design, as he was a talented artist," Ellen continued.
Thousands of pounds have been raised to help bring Daniel's body home.
The teenager, who was also a sales assistant at an off-licence, was part of a large family, many of whom are grieving in County Derry today.
He leaves behind a younger sister and younger brother Dylan, with whom he was particularly close.
Ellen said: "Dylan was only 15 months younger so there was a big bond there.
"He was close to all of us though really.
"He didn't dislike anybody. He was just a very loving, bubbly and open boy. He had a special bond with every single member of the family in a different way.
"This is just going to change the family dynamic forever."
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