Dad-of-one Oliver Holroyd, 29, was just weeks away from tying the knot with his fiance when he tragically passed away in front of his father and friends on his stag do in Benidorm
A Benidorm bar worker has told of the harrowing moment he desperately tried to save a British groom moments before he died in front of loved-ones during a tragic accident. Dad-of-one Oliver Holroyd, 29, from Halifax, was just weeks away from tying the knot with his fiancé Paige when he died in front of his father and friends on his stag do.
The Brit had fallen backwards off a bar stool, slammed his head into the ground and was rendered unconscious while enjoying drinks at the Funky Flamingo bar on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Bar manager Gaston Luciano was among a group of staff members who rushed over to attempt CPR before the emergency services arrived, and said “they did everything they could” before the dad was pronounced dead. He said: “I was doing CPR with the help of another customer, he was responsive for around 60 seconds and then there was nothing.
“We tried for around 15 minutes before the ambulance arrived, then they took over and worked on him for another 45”, Gaston told MailOnline. “They gave him a shot of adrenaline and connected him to a machine, they did everything they could, it was so sad. His friends were in shock for the first minute or so and then it hit them what was happening, they were emotional and crying.”
Gaston said he had spoken to Oliver’s father, who told him the family were from Halifax and that Oliver had a son. He added: “The guy and his fiancé were due to get married in May, he was so young.”
Gaston, a dad-of-two who is originally from Argentina but began working in Benidorm when he was 16, said: “This was not my first time dealing with something like this. When people come here they forget everything, they drink a lot, take a lot of substances and can get carried away, they need to try and avoid that.”
Following the accident a Spanish police statement read: “We can confirm that a man suffered some type of medical problem and died at the scene. He was treated by those present at the premises and then by the paramedics who responded to the call. The medical causes of the death are unknown.”
Oliver’s partner Paige said in a heartbreaking tribute online: “My Oliver, I can’t believe this is real. This shouldn’t be real. I miss you so so much. My best friend, the father of our gorgeous little boy, the best dog dad ever, my fiancée, my soul mate. Nothing will be the same again but I promise you I will try my best for our little boy.
“I hope you can see us everyday and I hope I’m making you proud. I’m so sorry this happened to you my darling. I miss you so much. I love you with my whole heart, always and forever. Until I see you again, baby. You’re my Waterloo. Yours forever.”
Paige also shared a link to a JustGiving page where Oliver’s friend Ben Capper is raising money for the Stroke Foundation. Ben said he is running the Leeds marathon in memory of his pal, with the fundraiser reading: “On the 22nd of March our beloved friend Oliver lost his life due to a stroke at the tender age of 29. He’s left behind his beautiful fiancé and 1 year old. I’m running the Leeds marathon in his honour to raise money and awareness to the stroke association.”
