A tragic Ayrshire lad who died suddenly last month ‘filled his family with pride’ every day.
Tributes have poured in for Leon McVey who collapsed and suffered a seizure whilst visiting family in Troon last month.
The selfless teenager had only turned 18 in January and had enjoyed his first trip to the pub just a week before his shock death.
His heartbroken mum and dad have told how their inspirational son, who was training to be a joiner, had already booked his driving test and picked out his first car.
Leon, of Dundonald, had previously stayed in Tarbolton and with family in Glasgow before moving back to Ayrshire.
The former Belmont Academy pupil and Ayrshire College student was visiting his uncle in Troon on Friday, May 28 when he collapsed.
Paramedics rushed to the scene and Leon was taken to Kilmarnock's Crosshouse Hospital but despite the best efforts of medics, he sadly passed away.
Leon's dad Paul, 38, mum Natasha, 35, his brother Kasey, 13, and sister Kayley, 17, have all been left heartbroken.
In a heartfelt tribute to their son, the doting parents told Ayrshire Live: “Leon filled us with pride every day of his life, he couldn’t have disappointed us if he tried.
“He loved his family and we meant everything to him. He lit up any room he walked in and he made everyone laugh and smile all the time.
“It is nice to share with others how lovely, kind and friendly he was as a person. He always looked up to me, but I was lucky to have him as my son.”
Paul and Natasha have thanked the heroic staff at Crosshouse and ambulance crew who were all left shaken by the tragedy.
Paul said: “The team at Crosshouse were amazing, the nurses and doctors were in tears. You could see how much it shocked everyone over what was happening.
“You sometimes think because they deal with this all the time they might be immune to it but until you are there and see what these people do for you and your family it’s hard to really comprehend.
“Everyone just gave everything – we can’t thank them enough. They allowed Leon’s whole family to come down and say goodbye to him.
“We want to especially thank Dr David Hitchen. He tried to do everything to save our son.
“He was tremendous, he was in tears himself, there was nothing that he wouldn’t do for us.”
Since Leon’s death, his family opened up his Facebook page to allow pals to pay tribute.
They requested well-wishers send through memories and were overwhelmed with pictures and videos showing Leon enjoying good times which included him enthusiastically performing backflips and having a laugh with friends.
Thousands of kind messages were also sent, with one former school pal telling Paul that Leon made her time at Belmont the “best days of her life” and adding that he always “included everyone” and made them feel welcome.
Leon had just completed his second year of Bench Joinery which spanned across Ayrshire College (Ayr) and Glasgow Kelvin College.
The creative craftsman even built his own garden pub named after his love of AU vodka.
In 2019, Leon walked his mum down the aisle for Paul and Natasha's wedding.
Paul added: “He loved working with his hands, he was very creative and very smart.
“Leon did a lot of the work in here for us, he did the decking and he was very hands on. He even built his own bar inspired by AU vodka, he absolutely loved that and all different flavours [Leon’s AU Bar].
“Leon had started driving through lockdown, me and his mum would take him out as he couldn't do lessons. He absolutely loved it.
“He picked out his first car which was the new Peugeot 208 GT1.
“When lockdown ended he took one lesson and the instructor said he was ready for his test. He was already that good.
“He loved fitness, he loved going for walks, cycling and camping.
“He also loved darts, we had a dart board down at my brothers and he’d go down there and play. He also loved poker as well, Friday night was poker night.”
Paul said: “The support from everyone has just been incredible. Leon was loved by everyone, he could make anyone laugh, he had more pals than I could ever dream of.
“He was a role model for his brother and sister, and an inspiration to us all.”
A fundraiser was set up in Leon’s name to donate money to the team at Crosshouse.
Paul added: “Leon was selfless, he would give you the shirt off his back, he helped raise money for cancer research, dementia and Alzheimer's through charity walks.
“We thought this is one last thing for charity in his honour.”
You can donate to the fundraiser here.
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