A "caring" man who "lived to make people giggle" has tragically died while returning home from a holiday in Thailand, leaving his family with an £11,000 repatriation bill.
Damian Langley, 47, from St Helens, Merseyside, had been enjoying a trip to Thailand with friends earlier this month, sending photos and videos to his relatives of him soaking up the sun. He was due to fly back to Manchester Airport on April 21, but his health took a sudden turn for the worse.
On April 19, his sister Nicola, 31, received a call from one of his companions, informing her that Damian had fallen ill. She told the Liverpool Echo: "They didn't want to worry me. He had asked them not to tell me. But he had abdominal pains and he was complaining of seeing things. He was hallucinating."
Despite initial reassurances, Damian's condition deteriorated while he was at Hamad International Airport in Qatar, waiting for a connecting flight to Manchester. He was taken to the airport medical centre, where staff said he was not fit to fly. They gave him fluids and arranged for him to take a later flight on April 22.
His friends returned to the UK, and Nicola made plans to collect him the next day. However, after repeatedly calling the airport, she discovered that his boarding pass was still open — meaning he never boarded the plane. An agonising 24-hour search followed, with Nicola frantically contacting hospitals across Qatar.
Tragically, on April 24, police arrived at her door with the devastating news that Damian had been rushed to intensive care at Al Wakra Hospital, suffering from pancreatitis and organ failure. He passed away on April 23.
The family now faces a gruelling financial struggle, as repatriating Damian's body back to the UK could cost up to £11,000. He had not taken out travel insurance before his trip, something his family was unaware of. Nicola said: "For me, it's like I'm trying to get all of this sorted so he'll come home and walk through the door. It doesn't feel like I'm bringing him home only for him not to be here any more."
Damian had previously struggled with alcohol but had given up drinking for about two years before the trip. Nicola believes he did not tell his family about the holiday because he knew they would be concerned about the partying environment.
Describing her brother, Nicola said: "Damian lived every day as it came. He wanted everything to be fun. He was always laughing, trying to make everyone laugh, coming out with one-liners." She added that his dog, Jackson, was his world, and that he was a very caring person who would give you his last pound.
A GoFundMe page launched by Damian's friend Melissa Newman aims to raise £9,000 to cover the costs of bringing his body back to the UK and his funeral. Melissa wrote: "As I'm sure those of you who knew Dame, knew he was a larger than life character, and put a smile on everyone's face. He brightened every room he was in."
