Caitlyn Whitley, 19, has described the horrific moment she discovered her father, Paul John Whitley, 50, dead in his tent at Download Festival on June 11, 2026. The heavy metal music festival, held annually at Donington Park, was meant to be a special bonding experience for the father-daughter duo, who were camping together for the first time.
Discovery at the Tent
Caitlyn woke up around 9am after her first night camping next to her dad. She shouted good morning but got no response. By 10.30am, she decided to check on him. She found him at the front of his tent on his knees, as if trying to crawl out. He was cold and not moving.
“I went and tried to wake him at about 10.30am, but he was not lying down. He was at the front of the tent on his knees, it was like he was trying to crawl out of the tent. I was trying to wake him up, but he was cold and not moving, so I called for mum to help,” Caitlyn said.
Her mother, Emmilou Firshman, and stepdad Scott, who were camping nearby, rushed over and helped pull Paul out of the tent. Emmilou described the scene: “I could see that he was in a weird position. I wiggled him, and he wasn't moving at all. I put my hand on his back, and he was freezing, and I knew something really bad was happening.”
Emergency Response
Thankfully, a volunteer nurse nearby heard the commotion and came to assist. An ambulance and police arrived shortly after, and a large black gazebo was erected to protect the family’s privacy. Leicestershire Police stated they are not treating the death as suspicious, though the official cause may take up to 15 weeks to be confirmed.
Caitlyn, who is training to become a car mechanic, is certain the death was not drug-related. “My dad doesn't drink, he sipped my cider, he had a coffee and a cigarette before bed and fell asleep. It was the first night camping, so we had an early night after a long day of driving to get there,” she said.
Father's Day and Grief
Father's Day was especially painful for Caitlyn. “Father's Day was so difficult, and I didn't sleep well at all. Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing him in his tent,” she said.
Emmilou, who split from Paul over a decade ago but remained close friends, said: “Caitlyn was hysterical. I could see her heart break in front of me; she was screaming and hyperventilating.”
A Loving Father and Metal Fan
Paul, a galvaniser from Sittingbourne, Kent, was a massive metal fan. He was most excited to see Limp Bizkit and Hollywood Undead at Download. Caitlyn recalled: “When I was younger, I used to cry getting my nappy changed, and he would sing a Slipknot song to me to calm me down.”
Paul was also the sole carer for his mother, who had a stroke and now requires support from the local authority. Caitlyn described him as a “proper dad joker” who would do anything for her without hesitation.
Praise for Festival Staff
Both Caitlyn and Emmilou praised Download Festival's response. Emmilou said: “There was a man called James Dean, who was in charge of the TLC team at Download, he was truly amazing. He looked after us and gave us everything we needed before I even knew what I needed.”
The family have set up a GoFundMe to support Caitlyn with the cost of the funeral.
