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Luke Green & Chloe Burrell

Family left with 'massive hole' in their lives after football-mad dad dies suddenly

A family state that they have been left with a 'massive hole' in their lives after the tragic passing of a football-mad dad.

Mark Callanan, 42, suddenly passed away on May 12, not long after playing video games with his son.

After becoming breathless, he collapsed and within ten minutes the family's lives were flipped upside down, Grimsby Live reports.

Paramedics worked on Mark, from Grimsby, for two hours, but he could not be brought back and sadly never regained consciousness.

Mum Linda and partner Nikki paid an emotional tribute to Mark, saying that he was a shy man, but that he was friendly and enjoyed talking to people when he got to know them.

Mark was also a huge Manchester United fan and was always following the horses with his dad.

Speaking about Mark's passing, his wife Nikki Callanan said: "Since his passing, we don't what to do with ourselves. Mark always worked from home so there is such a weird silence in the house now. It's left a massive hole in the family.

"He was such a good dad to his son Jacob, 7, and his step son Kieran, 16. He had been playing wrestling on the PS4 with Jacob in the morning, and then he sat down and was struggling to breathe. Within 10 minutes, he'd collapsed. The paramedics worked on him and he was responding, but he never came round again and passed away in the family home."

She added: "Some of my best memories with Mark were going to Manchester. I remember booking him a tour of Old Trafford as he had never been before. After that, he was obsessed and always wanting to travel to Manchester."

Mark ran a number of different businesses under the brand 19seventy9 including a sweet shop on Abbeygate, pictured, and an arts and crafts shop in Scartho (Grimsby Live)

Mum Linda spent a lot of time with Mark, working alongside him in their business and shop 19seventy9 in Scartho and Grimsby.

She explained: "The shop wasn't really taking off and people in the arts society were saying they had nowhere to display their work. Mark had a few bare walls in the shop and it just grew from there really.

"It was lovely working with my son, but that makes it even harder now he's gone. We were always taxiing him about and in daily contact, I'm really grateful for spending time with him, but I don't know how to describe things now he's not here. We're sticking together as a family to get through all this, we need everyone to get through it."

Speaking about the future of the shop, Linda said: "I'm going to try and carry on with the shop, but it's just much harder on my own. I think he would've wanted me to carry it on." She added: "I've got great memories of Mark. He was a top athlete and was part of the Harriers in the area, he was a great runner and really good at long jump."

A celebration of Mark's life will take place at Grimsby Crematorium on Friday, June 10 at 10.30am. The family have requested that all mourners wear a splash of colour in his memory.

Donations in Mark's memory may be sent to either Diabetes UK Wells Lawrence House, 126 Back Church Lane London E1 1FH or Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance Headquarters HEMS Way Off, Sleaford Rd, Lincoln LN4 2GW.

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