WELSH DAD PAULO BROCKWAY, 44, DIES SUDDENLY ON ANNIVERSARY HOLIDAY — FIANCÉE HEARTBROKEN AFTER PLANNING THEIR FUTURE TOGETHER

A Welsh father has died suddenly while celebrating his third anniversary with his fiancée in Cyprus, leaving his family facing the heartbreaking task of bringing him home.

Paulo Brockway, 44, from Cardiff, became seriously ill on September 16 — the day he and his fiancée, Kerry Debono, were due to fly home.

He died in hospital the following day.

Kerry has described herself as “absolutely devastated” and said her heart was “in a million pieces” after losing the man she had hoped to marry.

PAULO BECAME SUDDENLY ILL ON THE DAY THEY WERE DUE HOME

Paulo and Kerry had travelled to Cyprus to celebrate their third anniversary.

According to Kerry, everything had been going well until Paulo suddenly became seriously ill on the day they were due to return to Cardiff.

He was taken to hospital as his condition deteriorated.

Kerry said doctors initially explained that Paulo had suffered a cardiac arrest following pancreatitis, which she said had previously gone undiagnosed.

Other reports have described a rapid deterioration involving severe pancreatitis and infection, but the precise medical circumstances remain based on information released by his family and reports from the British press.

Paulo died on September 17, aged just 44.

“I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT’S ALL HAPPENED”

Speaking to BBC Wales, Kerry said she was struggling to comprehend how quickly her life had changed.

“I just can’t believe it’s all happened. I’m absolutely devastated, heartbroken and my heart is in a million pieces.”

She said Paulo had “so much to live for” and described his death as something that happened “in the blink of an eye.”

The couple had been celebrating three years together and had even begun imagining their future in Cyprus.

Kerry said Paulo had told her during the trip that the island was where they should get married.

The couple also placed a lock on a bridge as a symbol of their relationship.

HE LEAVES BEHIND A SON AND HEARTBROKEN FAMILY

Paulo’s death has left a devastating void for his loved ones.

He leaves behind a son, as well as his mother, sisters and brother.

Kerry said the entire family had been left struggling to come to terms with the loss, particularly Paulo’s mother.

In a fundraising appeal, she described the impact of losing him and wrote that his son was devastated by the death of his father.

A PASSION FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBING

Away from the tragedy, Kerry’s fundraising page paints a picture of a man who had developed a deep passion for mountain climbing during the final years of his life.

She said Paulo had taken up climbing around three years earlier and had grown to love the challenge.

He also climbed mountains for charity, using the challenges to raise money to help other people.

Kerry said reaching each summit gave him something to look forward to and that he was always thinking about the next, bigger mountain.

FAMILY FACES COST OF BRINGING HIM HOME

Because Paulo died abroad and had no life insurance, Kerry has launched a fundraiser to help cover the cost of his funeral.

She said his body was expected to be repatriated from Cyprus to Cardiff within seven to 10 days, allowing the family to begin making funeral arrangements.

The fundraiser initially set a target of £3,000, with Kerry saying the funeral was expected to cost around £7,000. The page also explains that their holiday insurance would cover hospital fees and repatriation costs.

“I WILL LOVE AND MISS YOU FOREVER”

For Kerry, the holiday that was supposed to celebrate three years of love has instead become the beginning of an unimaginable loss.

The couple had talked about getting married in Cyprus. They had celebrated their relationship, placed a lock on a bridge and looked toward a future they believed they would share.

Instead, Kerry is now preparing to bring Paulo home to Cardiff.

In her fundraising appeal, she ended with a heartbreaking message to her fiancé:

“I will love and miss you forever, Paulo.”

Paulo Brockway was 44 years old.