Andrejs Krievkalns, 35, tragically passed away on a family holiday in Bulgaria after complaining of stomach pain. Just hours before, he made his wife a heartbreaking promise
A father of one made a heartbreaking promise to his wife just hours before he suddenly died while on holiday with his family. Andrejs Krievkalns, 35, was on holiday in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, with his wife, Katerina Glazyrina, 41, and their five-year-old daughter, Lizzie, when he started to complain of a stomach ache on January 3.
Drawing from past experiences of food poisoning in Bulgaria, they initially dismissed it as a similar upset, but the agony persisted, radiating to his back and making his abdomen sensitive to even a gentle touch. Still, he insisted he could manage the flight home on January 4, able to sit up and use the bathroom despite the discomfort. “He probably didn’t want to worry me,” Katerina said. “And I couldn’t measure his pain.”
Katerina recounted the harrowing experience of her partner’s illness, which began with ineffective medication from a local pharmacy. “He began to look pale, so we cancelled the flight and called an ambulance,” she shared. The medical team noted his low blood pressure and, despite language barriers making it hard to convey Andrejs’ pain, a reaction to an abdominal examination led to a hospital recommendation.
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At Burgas Hospital, Andrejs was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis – a sudden inflammation of the pancreas that only results in severe complications in one in five cases, and only a small percentage of those prove fatal, according to NHS data.
In their last conversation, he heartbreakingly reassured Katerina: “Don’t worry I’ll be home soon.” However, later that day, she learned he had been moved to intensive care due to multiple organ dysfunction, a complication of acute pancreatitis. Tragically, Andrejs passed away just before midnight on January 4, with Katerina being informed at 6am the following morning.
“When I heard the news I was alone,” Katerina revealed. “It was the hardest day of my life. I don’t know how I managed to get through it. We were preparing to return to normal life after the Christmas time. It’s like you went on holiday and you can never come back to the life you’ve been building together.”
Amid the grief, Katerina, who also has their daughter to care for, expressed her determination to stay strong: “You have to find ways to be strong,” she insisted. She poignantly described the daily impact of loss: “(Grief) changes you every day… you lose them every day – when you look at your child and want to adore her, you lose them.” She added: “Anything you do that reminds you makes you lose them again.”
The couple had been exploring life insurance options in 2024, engaging with brokers to find suitable life and critical illness policies, but tragically, Andrejs died before they could finalise their plans. The community in Hackney, where Katerina lives, has rallied together, initiating an online fundraising campaign on GoFundMe that amassed over £12,500 for her and her daughter. “The community response has been amazing,” she expressed, noting her deep appreciation: “I never expected it in a million years. I’m just grateful, that’s all I can say.”
What really touches Katerina isn’t just the financial aid but the outpouring of support: “People are so willing to help me and my daughter, it melts my heart,” she said, describing the gestures as “It’s beautiful. I can only say thank you.” She shared her heartfelt thanks: “It’s beautiful. I can only say thank you.”
As she grapples with the devastating loss, Katerina is detirmined to use her experience to help others who are struggling. She’s started sharing her advice on coping with loss through her Instagram presence at coaching_with_kat. “It’s hard to find the balance between grieving and the extreme responsibility of things to do,” Katerina said. However, she is focused on emerging as a beacon of strength as a transformational life coach for those facing major life upheavals.
Andrejs’ memory, she assures, will be kept alive by both the community and family. “Everyone mentions how kind he was,” she said, adding that “He was such a caring man and I hope our daughter thriving will be his legacy.”
She passionately advises parents to secure life insurance. “You never know what events can happen, and you don’t want to add financial pressure on top of the grief and many other complexities that surround loss.”
Andrejs, who hails from Latvia and Katerina, from Russia, first met in London when they were both students in 2006. Their friendship blossomed into romance over seven years, culminating in a wedding at Hackney City Hall in 2013. The couple welcomed their daughter Lizzie six years later. Katerina fondly reflected on her husband: “He was a family man – that was his focus”.
To support to Katerina and her daughter, contributions can be made via their dedicated GoFundMe page at: gofundme.com/f/k4pgt-andrejs-krievkalns.
