'Fit and healthy' 21-year-old Joe collapsed and died while out for a jog
In February 2012, Joe Parkinson got home from work as a BT engineer and immediately went out for a run, like the 21-year-old always did. Hours passed by, and his family grew increasingly worried when he didn’t return to his home in Prescot, Liverpool. It wasn’t until much later that they discovered Joe had been taken seriously ill and rushed to hospital, where he sadly died.
Joe’s sister, Holly, said: “We were all starting to worry and around midnight we got a phone call to say that he had been found collapsed and taken to hospital where he passed away.
“Joe had been diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve which has no symptoms and was totally undetected.
“Had a defibrillator been nearby, Joe could have still been here with us now and received treatment.”
The 21-year-old was a regular at his gym and had no known illnesses.
His sister added: “Joe was a popular lad, he loved to socialise, getting the mums up to dance, and loved his holidays and his designer clothes.
“After he died, we had people coming to the house, who had met him just once, telling us how he had touched their lives. Joe was a young, fit man who had his whole life in front of him. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Holly has already managed to raise cash for defibrillators which are now housed at Mossley Hill Athletics Club, Wavertree Athletics stadium and at an Everton in the Community site.
