A 29-year-old man died on the beach after going on his first holiday with friends to Skegness, his heartbroken family has said.
Aaron Keightley was pulled from the sea by lifeguards south of the central beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire, at around 3.30pm on Monday.
His sister Shannon Smith, 26, said he was the “perfect” older brother and was “amazing, kind and funny”. She told The Independent he spent “all day every day” with friends and was “so excited” to go away with them for the first time.
When she visited him in the Lincolnshire seaside town on Sunday, he was “over the moon” and “so happy to be there”. “Then we got a phone call the next day and we found out what happened. We are devastated,” she said.
“Not only do we as a family have to get through this heart-wrenching pain but we have to now somehow get him back home from Hull, before we can even start to grieve his loss which can cost us thousands.”
A fundraiser has been set up by Mrs Smith on GoFundMe, aiming to collect £8,000 to help the family get his body transported home and cover funeral costs.
“We really want to give him everything and more and show him how loved and adored he is and always will be, there will never be another person like him so selfless and loving.”
She said her brother would “give anyone his last pound” and he deserved a “great send off”. “He will forever be 29. No age to lose your life - his mum, dad and siblings are hurting beyond belief,” she added.
A RNLI Lifeguards representative in Lincolnshire told The Independent: “At 3.30pm yesterday [Monday 30 June], lifeguards in Skegness recovered an unconscious member of the public from the water south of central beach, after he got into difficulty in the surf.
“Despite their best efforts to resuscitate him, the casualty sadly passed away at the scene. Our thoughts go to the family and friends affected by the incident, along with many of the beach visitors who witnessed the tragic events at the time.”
