Lisa's anguish at losing love of her life to silent killer

Lewis Little was a fit and active 25-year-old who lived for his partner Lisa Lee and their son Tyler, who turns two at the end of the month.

But tragically he died in his sleep in the early hours of August 7, just two months after doctors had told him he was low risk of suffering from a cardiac arrest after being diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome, an uncommon condition that can cause a heart to stop beating.

Now Lisa is determined to ensure no other families go through the same pain she is currently facing.

Speaking to the News Post Leader, she said: “It was a normal Saturday night, we went to bed at 11.30pm. I woke up to Lee making a grunting sound at 2am.

“I had to be up for work at 5am so was shouting at him to be quiet.

“I kicked his leg and it slipped out of the bed, he then fell onto the floor.

“When I went round to check on him his face was purple.

“I was talked through CPR while on the phone as the paramedics arrived.”

Lewis, from Ashington, was diagnosed with the condition following tests after problems following a bad tooth abscess, with an ECG showing an abnormal heart beat.

But in a cruel twist of fate, doctors said he was low risk. If he had been listed as ‘high-risk’ he would have had a defibrillator fitted to restart his heart if it stopped.

Lisa said: “We think the doctors should have done more.

“We’ve been told it is hereditary so there is a 50/50 chance that Tyler could have it.

“You never think he would have anything like this, he never showed any previous signs. He was fit and active.

“I don’t want anyone else to go through what I went through that night. I can’t even go into my bedroom any more. I’m sleeping downstairs.

“All his family and friends are devastated. We’ve had lots of support. He doesn’t realise how loved he was. He would talk to anyone, smile at everyone.

“We’d been together five years. We’d been speaking on social media for seven months before meeting.

“Straight away, we knew. We just bounced off each other. He loved to take the mick out of me. I loved it as well.

“Lewis was an amazing person, he was loved by a lot of people, he doted on his son.

“He loved to do the gardening and work around the house, he wanted to buy this house for Tyler and the future and I’m going to do that for him now.”

Lewis’ friends have come together to hold a charity event on Sunday to raise money for Tyler, while an online fund is approaching £3,000 in donations.

The event, from 11am to 1pm in Woodhorn, will feature pony rides, games, a football match where Tyler will lead the teams out, plus an auction featuring football-themed items.

Lewis’s funeral will take place on Friday at 11am at St Aidan’s Church, in Ashington, with a reception afterwards at the White House Social Club.

Now Lisa is aiming to raise awareness of the condition, ensuring more people undergo tests to see if they have it, while also preparing herself should the situation arise again.

Lisa added: “I’m going to do a baby first aid course and an adult first aid course.

“I’m going to make sure Tyler gets the best care and all the necessary tests.

“There isn’t much known about Brugada. I’m going to look deeper into it to see if there is a charity or organisation and maybe start my own in Lewis’ name.

“It’s a silent killer.”