A man with a "zest for life" and an "insatiable appetite for love" has died days after crashing his bike in Bali, his family have said.
James Criddle, from Pembrokeshire, suffered a catastrophic brain injury and died after a seven-hour operation to relieve pressure on his brain following the bike crash. His family confirmed James had died in the early hours of July 21 before his distraught parents had managed to get to his bedside.
Posting on Facebook, they said that James had suffered 25 fractures to his skull and had needed an urgent operation after his kidneys started failing. They said: "He was taken down to surgery, but while they were working on him, he suffered a cardiac arrest and despite the efforts of the medical team to keep him alive, they were not able to do so." You can get more local news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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Posting on a GoFundMe page that had been initially set up to support James’ medical care, the Criddle family said James had suffered a brain injury sustained through an accident on his bike on Friday [July 15]. The popular young man, from Saundersfoot, was initially put in a coma but did not survive his injuries. Described as a "funny, generous, kind and most of all remarkable soul who had an astonishing love of life and lived it to the full" they now hope to continue raising funds for those most vulnerable in society, a cause that was close to James' heart.
His family said: "We respectfully ask that his life should be celebrated with stories shared of the times you spent with him and helping to add to his legacy of experience and ‘paying it forward’
"In the same vein, we have made the decision not to have a traditional ‘funeral’ – nothing about James was traditional or ordinary and we would like to honour his life in a manner that befits his zest for life and his Insatiable appetite for love. We will shortly be organising and sharing details of a celebration of his life that all those that knew and loved him can attend.
"James’ body, which is the vessel that carried his beautiful soul, will physically stay in Bali, where he had some of his happiest times in the last couple of years and will be honoured by his friends there also."
The original GoFundMe page would continue in a bid to "ensure that James’ legacy lives on". They added: "We want James to always be remembered for the beautiful giving and loving heart he had. Although James is no longer of this world, his extraordinary spirit will live on in every act of kindness that we perpetuate and happy memory we share."
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