An LFC fan collapsed and died in a bookies after going to place a bet.
NHS nursing assistant Bernard Bertram had finished his shift at the Royal Stoke University Hospital when he popped into Betfred. But the 54-year-old LFC fan suddenly collapsed.
Despite best efforts from staff and paramedics, he was confirmed dead at the scene in Campbell Place, Stoke on Saturday, June 10, StokeonTrent reports. Heartfelt tributes have since been left to the "loving and kind" man.
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Colleague Damien Astley, 29, said: "If you knew him, you wouldn’t have thought for a second that this was the way he was going to go. He was at work that day, he was walking home.
"At first I kind of didn’t believe it, I was messaging him and he never got back to me. Now I know why."
Bernard first moved to Stoke-on-Trent from London a couple of years ago when he saw a job opening at the Royal Stoke. He was a dad to grown up children and lived in Hanley. At the hospital, he first worked in cardiac theatres before transferring to Theatres 6-10 where he worked as a nursing assistant.
Damien said he was brilliant with the patients, as he added: "The thing is with Bernard, he got along with everybody. He was so loving and kind, he didn’t have to try to make people laugh, he just did.
"He was a top guy, a lovely guy, always polite. He would always call you ‘Star’. He was so charismatic, he got along with everybody."
Bernard and Damien often watched The Grand Tour together, walked along the canal and made spontaneous trips to London. Damien said: "He was a big Jamaican man, he’d always have something on the barbecue, if the sun was out, he was out.
"He was always really clean. He came to my house once and he said ‘Star, you need to clean your front door, I can see dust on it.’ I never ever considered cleaning my front door, it’s on the outside."
Bernard had plans of moving to Jamaica to be with his family and retire as it was "all he'd ever talk about". Damien added: "It has come as such a massive shock to us all at the hospital. It’s a loss for everybody. He’ll be missed by a lot of people."
Nikki Wood, UHNM Theatres Sister, where Bernard worked, said: “Bernard was also very well known in UHNM’s ophthalmic ward and clinics. He was a very vibrant and colourful character who was well liked by his many friends and colleagues and he will be sadly missed by all that had the pleasure of working alongside him."
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