Heartbreaking tributes are flooding in after the 'sudden and tragic' death of a North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) paramedic, which has left an 'irreparable hole' across the emergency service.
Beloved husband and dad-of-two, Ben Lightburn, died on New Year's Day, NWAS has today (January 12) confirmed. Ben served in the Royal Navy before joining the ambulance service in 2014 as an emergency medical technician, later qualifying as a paramedic in 2021.
He worked across the Cheshire and Merseyside North sector, 'helping many communities in their time of need, showing immense care and compassion to all his patients', said NWAS. Ben was 'incredibly loved, so ridiculously smart and dedicated his life to the services'.
Senior paramedics and technicians from the Sefton Group, who worked closely with Ben said: “Ben was, and will forever remain, an incredibly loved member of our team. He was amazing with patients and so ridiculously smart. He mentored students and supported his colleagues with a passion that was admirable.
"Ben was a joker, he was cheeky, he laughed with us and at us and was always at the heart of our team. Ben has dedicated his life to the services, from serving in the Royal Navy of which he always shared fond memories with us, and then joining us here at NWAS.
"He always aimed to excel at everything he did, both in work and in his personal life. Ben was so well respected by his colleagues and adored by patients.
"His close-knit team, NWAS and beyond have lost a truly genuine, kind and ever caring soul. There are no words to describe how we feel to have lost Ben, so tragically and so suddenly. We will cherish his memory forever and our thoughts extend to his beautiful family at this unimaginable time.”
Matt Calderbank, Cheshire and Merseyside North Sector Manager at NWAS, added: “Ben consistently placed others before himself, a dedicated paramedic who will have undoubtedly changed patient and families lives for the better. Ben’s absence has left an irreparable hole across the NWAS team he worked with.
"Ben was not just a paramedic, but a friend and a mentor to many of his colleagues. The sadness felt is shared by many and we extend our deepest condolences to Ben’s friends and family who have lost someone very special. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic loss.”
Ben leaves behind his adoring wife and two children who have gave NWAS permission to share the tributes. "Our thoughts and condolences remain with Ben’s family, friends, and work colleagues at this incredibly sad time," ended the statement from NWAS, shared on the service's social media accounts.
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