The heartbroken family of Billy Herd have told how they hoped he would ‘live forever’ after years of selfless charity work in memory of his wife.
Devastated nieces have been overwhelmed by loving tributes paid to the community hero who died suddenly last week.
Both Mary Blyth and Morvern Cameron have described the Prestwick stalwart as the ‘life and soul’ of their family.
Billy passed away from a heart attack at home after a battle with a long term lung condition on Wednesday, September 22, aged 79.
Tributes have flooded in from across Ayrshire with charities that Billy supported leading the way.
Nieces Mary and Morvern say their uncle was one of a kind.
Morvern told Ayrshire Live: “There isn’t a word to describe Billy’s enthusiasm and positivity, it seems like he touched the whole of Ayrshire.
“One of his friends joked to us, he couldn’t find one person who never liked Billy, after 10 years.
“We thought he would have lived forever, you would never think the day would come when he wouldn’t be here.
“There is going to be nobody like him ever again.”
Billy first made the move to Ayrshire from Paisley, Renfrewshire as part of a dream early retirement plan in 2001 with his wife Ann.
But tragically Ann died in 2006 from lung cancer, aged 59, after 42 years together.
Nieces Mary and Morvern have told how from that moment Billy started his incredible journey raising tens of thousands for charity.
Mary told Ayrshire Live: “Ann was just Billy’s world, she meant everything to him.
“She told him ‘do not sit on your back side, get out there and get involved and meet new people.’
“He did just that and more. He just kept going.
“Even when his health was failing he just wanted to help others.
“Right up until he passed he was talking on the phone to four people as a befriender.
“He brought some of them from the depths of despair to being able to leave the house again.
“He would try to reach out to anyone who was affected by cancer and try to use his experience of nursing Ann to help them and address their fears.
“Ann would have been so proud. He just lived for her and for her to die so young, he really just thought right I am going to go for this - he never looked back after that.”
Despite suffering from COPD, Billy ticked off a list of fundraisers including walking the Great Wall of China, sky diving and countless zip lines, all sandwiched in between a few appearances as Santa.
In his most remarkable fundraiser - months after having a litre of fluid drained from his lungs, Billy took part in the 6 mile Kiltwalk for Whiteleys Retreat.
Billy was a key player in the campaign to save Malcolm Sargent House after spending years there as a volunteer.
And his family believe he used his experience working in the shipyards in Govan to help fight the injustice of the Prestwick charity home.
Morvern said: “Billy fought against injustice his whole life, he was a union rep in the shipyards.
“He was devastated when Malcolm Sargent House was closed, but he focused on Whiteleys Retreat and formed a special relationship with Maxine [Allan].
“He must have raised thousands just by himself, he never kept tabs on how much.
“It was never about individual efforts for Billy, everything was about the charities, he cared for them all and the people they supported."
Maxine Allan, CEO of Whiteleys Retreat has told how Billy, a trustee, was a true hero for the children’s respite charity.
She told Ayrshire Live: “When Billy looked in the mirror, he never saw a 79-year-old man, he saw a strong, proud lion.
“Nothing would ever stop Billy, he was always worrying about other people and would do anything to support the charity. He was our biggest fan.”
“He loved making the kids laugh and putting on the monkey suit, dressing up as Santa or Captain America.”
“He was like a father to me, we had a special relationship and he was a family member. We would spend Christmases or New Year together, we are all going to miss him so much."
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