Dylan Thomas Wakefield, 29, was admitted to hospital after he woke in the night with a ‘searing’ pain in the upper left side of his stomach – he died weeks later
A ‘beloved’ father tragically passed away just weeks after experiencing severe stomach pain. Dylan Thomas Wakefield, 29, was alarmed when he awoke with an ‘unbearable burning sensation’ in the upper left side of his abdomen.
As his symptoms escalated, the father-of-three took himself to hospital, where he was diagnosed with suspected gastritis – inflammation of the stomach lining. However, three days later he was placed into a coma as his blood pressure plummeted “dangerously low” following his diagnosis of severe acute pancreatitis.
The pub landlord regained consciousness after two days – during which time he shared a heart-wrenching post on social media, telling friends this was the “darkest chapter” of his life but he wasn’t “giving up”. Yet, three weeks later, he was put back into a coma and sadly passed away on May 28.
His brother, Nathan Lamb, 31, said: “The whole ordeal has been a massive shock – we didn’t think he would die from this. He was so young – it is so unfair.
“He was such a lovely brother to all of his nine siblings – all he wanted was for people to be happy and enjoying themselves at all times. He loved his family – we are all devastated that this has happened.”
Dylan was staying with his sister Caitlin Lamb, 27, when he woke with stomach pain on April 24 this year. As the pain intensified, Dylan decided to drive himself to King’s Mill Hospital in Nottingham, as he was “barely holding himself together”.
Nathan shared that at first, doctors believed he was suffering from gastritis, but his situation rapidly deteriorated, resulting in a diagnosis of acute severe necrotising pancreatitis – a serious condition where the pancreatic tissue dies due to inflammation and lack of blood flow.
Within three days of receiving care, Nathan’s condition took a turn for the worse and he was placed under induced coma to stabilise his plummeting blood pressure.
“The doctors told us it was to let his body rest. They attached him to several machines and told us they would be taking over to let Dylan’s body focus on getting stronger,” Nathan explained.
Two days later, on April 29, the family was overjoyed when Dylan opened his eyes, although he still remained extremely weak; however, his health showed signs of improvement.
On May 9 Dylan posted an emotional Facebook post to update friends and family, saying: “What started as feeling unwell quickly became unbearable – a searing, relentless pain in my stomach that I knew wasn’t normal.
“Paramedics told me I was okay, but something inside me said otherwise. I drove myself to the hospital, barely holding it together. Hours later, I was diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis.
“My body began to shut down. The pain intensified. Things went from bad to life-threatening.
“I was put into a coma and for days, my family watched helplessly, not knowing if I would ever wake up again. They prayed. I fought.
“On April 29, I opened my eyes – but the fight is far from over. I’m still in the hospital. I’m still in pain. I can’t walk. I can’t eat. I’m facing a lifelong condition that has torn through my life in a matter of days.
“This has been the darkest chapter I’ve ever known – terrifying, humbling and utterly heartbreaking. Thank you to everyone who’s sent love, prayers, or even a thought my way. I’m still here and I’m not giving up.”
More than 70 messages of support were sent his way, but just three weeks later Dylan’s condition declined and he was put into a second coma on May 25. Tragically, he passed away on May 28, leaving behind his three young children, Lily, 12, Layton, nine, and Kingston, six.
Nathan believes that Dylan’s pancreatitis was likely caused by his alcohol intake, saying: “Dylan liked a drink, but he was only 29 – issues like this you would think only start later in life. He has his whole future ahead of him – it is so unfair.”
According to Nathan, doctors told him that there is no known treatment for the disease, and they could only manage Dylan’s pain and the side effects of the condition. In the wake of Dylan’s passing, his friends have set up a crowdfunding campaign to help cover the costs of his funeral.
Nathan said: “His mum, Penelope, and his grandma, Carol, miss him deeply. He has eight siblings and they all miss him. We were a very close family and they all meant the world to him.
“We had a typical brother relationship, but he was a very forgiving person and very loyal as well. He wanted everyone around him to be happy. He was energetic – he loved singing and karaoke, and he was the life and soul of the room.”
Those who wish to donate can do on GoFundMe.