The family of a young dad have paid tribute to him after he died just 11 days after he started feeling unwell.
Gary Osborne, 29, from Rock Ferry, sadly died on November 18, at Walton Hospital.
The dad-of-one first fell ill on Bonfire Night with a headache, before he began feeling sick.
But when he started losing his balance at home, Gary was admitted to Arrowe Park Hospital and on Saturday, November 16, he was transferred to Walton Hospital, where he was put into an induced coma after his brain began to swell.
The 29-year-old, who had a 10 year old son, Tyler, tragically died in hospital two days later.
The cause of his death was unclear, with doctors initially suspecting it was encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and later Viral Meningitis, but the coroner's report said Gary had suffered from brain Edema.
Paying tribute to his brother, who would have turned 30 on Monday, June 8, Carl described him as a "happy and funny" man and an avid LFC supporter, who loved watching football with his mates.
Carl said: "Everyone always says the same thing about how happy he was.
"He was so genuine, he took nothing for granted.
"He loved chilling with his mates and going the footy. He loved Liverpool and going out enjoying himself on a weekend."
Gary was one of six siblings - Stacey, 33, Carl, 26, Chloe, 23, Luke, 16 and Lewis 12 and Carl said his brother loved get together's with his family and friends, for birthday celebrations and BBQ's.
He also told how he was very closed to mum Tracey, 49 and dad Colin, 52, who are "heartbroken".
Carl added: "He loved my mum and dad, they're heartbroken by what's happened, we all are.
"Me and him were around the same age so we got on like a house on fire and did everything together.
"He was a Liverpool fan and I'm an Evertonion so we had our fair share of banter about that.
"I can't even say how much he is missed by everyone.
"It was so hard seeing him like that in hospital and trying to process it all, I'm still trying to now."
To mark Gary's 30th birthday on Monday, his family and friends gathered together to let off balloons for him with messages attached to them.
Carl said: "It was six months since he died on May 18th so everyone got together, all his friends and family and we went down to the shore and let balloons off.
"Monday was his birthday so we did the same thing again. We celebrated on Saturday so that everyone could be there and then on Monday we let balloons off.
"Everyone wrote their own messages on them. I wrote 'happy birthday my man, love you loads. You'll never walk alone.'
"His son Tyler was there. He started getting upset on Saturday and on Monday he took himself off around the side of the house but my mum convinced him to come with us all to let the balloons off."
"His mates made a video of him, it was brilliant. His voice was in the video, it was nice to hear it again."
Carl said Gary's friends Callum, Steven, Chris and El have also been left heartbroken by his death and continue to keep in touch with the family.
He said: "Gary's mates have been amazing, we can't thank them enough. They still bring my mum flowers and come to see her and they made a book for him.
"We all talk about him all the time. In my mum's front garden there's a bench where he used to sit.
"We've tied balloons to the bench and all the things that people have brought him. And we've had a Liverpool plaque made for him.
"That's where everyone goes if they want to speak to him."
