Tragedy as doting Sheffield dad Lukas Wyatt dies suddenly, days before son's first birthday

He had put the details in place to make sure his little boy had a special day, with two events to mark the big event. There was to be one with the little one’s best friend, and then another one with his relatives.

But today his family are devastated after the popular 27-year-old from Wybourn died just days before the celebrations he was so looking forward to seeing happen.

Lukas was a full-time dad who loved nothing more than playing with his baby son, Ryder.

But now his partner Nicketta Thompson is planning for Lukas’ funeral as well as looking after little Ryder, whose birthday is on Thursday, May 19, and she has launched an online fundraiser to try to find the money for her partner and soulmate’s cremation.

Nicketta said she and Lukas had been making plans for a visit to a play centre with one of his close friends, and then a traditional party with family.

Despite her grief, she says the parties for Ryder will still happen – because Lukas would have not have wanted his son to miss out.

She said: “Ryder is a ball of energy, just like his dad, and Lukas was a full-on dad. They loved play fighting and being silly together. I would do the feeding and so on, and Lukas was the fun one.

"Lukas died on May 9. It was completely out of the blue. He went to Halfords on Queens Road to pick up a bike. He started getting pains in his arms and chest. It snowballed. He died of a heart attack.”

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"Lukas had been planning for Ryder’s birthday for months. Losing him has made things very different, but we have to keep going for the little one.

"It has left us with financial stress with bills and a funeral for Lukas to pay for.

"It is going to be hard, but Ryder has to come first no matter how much of a struggle it is. I have to deal with my feelings in the evenings, after he has gone to bed.”

The couple moved to Wybourn from Westfield last year.

Nicketta said Lukas had been a caring and helpful man, who would always do anything to help anyone. He often helped friends with their gardening, and would frequently buy food for people he saw homeless on the streets.

He was keen on e-sports played on the Xbox, and people from all across the world who he had played online with have made donations to the funeral fund.

He was part of a group of gamers who would play the game Fall Out 76 by donating on-line equipment to other players of the game who needed it.

"A lot of people from America who knew him from their online community have made donations,” said Nicketta. “Lukas was loved by everyone. We didn’t realise how much.”

She said she was receiving support from friends and family as she grieved over the loss of Lukas.

She has set up a crowdfunding appeal on gofundme.com to try to pay for a funeral. Log onto https://www.gofundme.com/f/funeral-of-an-amazing-caring-daddy-and-soul-mate to donate.

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