Welsh Dad, 44, Dies in Cyprus After Falling Ill on Anniversary Holiday as Fiancée Says She Is “Devastated”

CARDIFF, WALES — A Welsh father died suddenly in Cyprus after becoming seriously ill on the final day of an anniversary holiday with his fiancée, leaving his family and loved ones “completely devastated.”

Paulo Brockway, 44, from Cardiff, had travelled to Cyprus with his fiancée, Kerry Debono, in September to celebrate their three-year anniversary.

The couple had been enjoying their holiday and were preparing to return home to Wales when Paulo suddenly became seriously unwell.

According to reports from his family, he was taken to hospital on September 16, the day the couple had been due to fly home. Doctors initially suspected food poisoning, but further tests reportedly revealed that Paulo was suffering from severe pancreatitis and that his pancreas had stopped functioning properly.

His condition then deteriorated rapidly. He developed a serious infection and suffered heart problems before he died in hospital on September 17, according to his family’s fundraising appeal.

A holiday that was supposed to celebrate their future

For Paulo and Kerry, the trip had been intended as a celebration of their relationship.

The couple met in 2023 and had been together for three years. Kerry later said that they had fallen deeply in love with Cyprus and had even talked about returning to the island to get married.

During the holiday, the couple reportedly placed a lock on a bridge as a symbol of their relationship.

Instead of returning to Cardiff together, Kerry was left facing the sudden loss of her fiancé.

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

She also remembered Paulo as someone who had been full of plans for the future.

“He had so much to live for and he was just gone in the blink of an eye,” she said.

Family says Paulo had complained of symptoms before the holiday

Paulo’s family said he had sought medical help during the months before his death after experiencing abdominal pain and extreme tiredness.

However, they said the seriousness of his condition had not been recognised at the time.

His sudden deterioration in Cyprus has prompted his loved ones to speak publicly about pancreatitis and the importance of recognising its symptoms.

According to the NHS, pancreatitis can cause severe abdominal pain, while other symptoms can include nausea and vomiting. Sudden severe abdominal pain, particularly when it spreads to the back, can require urgent medical attention.

Remembered as a devoted father and keen climber

Paulo leaves behind his 12-year-old son, as well as his mother, sisters, brother, fiancée and a wider circle of friends and relatives.

His sister Samantha described him as a father, loving fiancé, brother and son who had “so much life left to live.”

She said Paulo had been especially devoted to his son and that his relationship with Kerry had brought him great happiness.

In recent years, Paulo had also developed a passion for mountain climbing.

Kerry said he had taken up climbing during their relationship and had completed mountain challenges to raise money for charity.

For Paulo, climbing was not simply a hobby. Kerry said the challenges gave him something to work towards, with each mountain inspiring him to attempt an even bigger one.

“He climbed mountains for charity, raising money to help others,” she wrote in the fundraising appeal.

His family has described adventure, the outdoors and helping others as important parts of his life.

Fundraiser launched to bring Paulo home

Because Paulo did not have life insurance, Kerry launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the cost of his funeral.

The fundraising page says the funeral is expected to cost approximately £7,000, while Paulo’s body was expected to be repatriated from Cyprus to Cardiff within seven to 10 days.

Kerry set an initial fundraising target of £3,000.

The campaign had raised £2,490 from 82 donations when the fundraiser was accessed, according to the GoFundMe page.

Kerry thanked everyone who had donated, shared the appeal or simply taken the time to read Paulo’s story.

She ended her message with a personal tribute to the man she had expected to marry.

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

A family left with an unexpected goodbye

Paulo’s death has left his family struggling to understand how someone who had been enjoying a holiday and making plans for the future could suddenly be gone.

His loved ones said he had been looking forward to his future with Kerry and had been planning their wedding.

Instead, the family is now preparing to bring him home to Wales and arrange a funeral.

For Kerry, what was supposed to be a celebration of three years together became an unimaginable goodbye.

Paulo was only 44.

He leaves behind a son, a grieving fiancée and a family who say they will remember him not only for the tragedy of his final days, but for the life he lived — his love for his family, his passion for climbing and his desire to help others.