Tributes have been paid to an “inspirational and popular" Leeds man who has sadly died at the age of just 33.
Oliver Walsh, 33, from Cross Gates, was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy when he was just five years old. The progressive disorder has no cure and mainly affects boys. The disease affects the person's muscles and heart.
Elizabeth Pattinson, Oliver’s sister in law, said the family was in shock following his death. She also told LeedsLive that as his condition progressed it caused him to have heart failure after he had a chest infection.
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Oliver was described by his family as the fun uncle, popular and a lovely family man, who loved to go to watch Leeds United play at Elland Road. “He was a big part of our life,” Elizabeth said.
“We had his funeral on Wednesday [November 23], it was a lovely send off. It was so nice it was just so many people there. He was so popular. He was a lovely family man and he was very well thought off. It was nice to have people there and talk about him and share memories of him.
“He didn’t let it define him, he was really brave, he was positive all the time. When he was with everyone, he was happy all the time, it’s a massive shock."
Oliver, who is survived by his two brothers and a sister, was diagnosed with the fatal disease when he was five years old. His mum, who tragically died in 2008, took him to the doctors to get checked out as he kept falling and his legs were getting weak. His mum was his carer but after she died, he had a full-time carer.
Despite his condition over the years, his family says that he never let it define him and he was positive all the time. Elizabeth said: "It [the disease] progressed, when he got older it started to affect his organs, it was the Duchenne he died with. He had heart failure, his heart packed in."
The family is now raising funds towards Martin House Children's Hospice, the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK and Oliver’s send-off. The GoFundMe reads: “Devastatingly, on Thursday 3rd November our beloved Oliver passed away.
"Oliver truly was an inspiration to anyone who knew him. Being diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy didn’t stop him from anything. Oliver lived his best life whilst being loved by so many. He was always full of laughter despite the hard cards he had been dealt. Such a humble, kind soul who has gone too soon.”
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