Young dad who noticed worrying symptom on Apple Watch tragically died after playing football
A young father sadly passed away after spotting a worrying sign on his Apple Watch and playing football.
The 27-year-old from Tameside, Great Manchester, was unresponsive after taking part in a small-sided football match with friends on Monday evening (18 November).
Jack Derbyshire was engaged, and leaves behind a daughter, aged three, while his family continue to grieve his loss.
The Brit was a huge Manchester City fan, and a touching tribute will take place in his honour during Saturday's match against Tottenham at the Etihad Stadium.
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Derbyshire discovered he had a health issue through his Apple Watch earlier this year, when it notified him that he had an irregular heartbeat.
Trips to health professionals revealed that he was suffering with what is scientifically known as atrial fibrillation, which is a typically rapid and sporadic heart rate, as well as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
This resulted in the Mancunian having an enlarged, weakened heart muscle, and prior to his passing, he was going through a medical review for an internal defibrillator implant, his mother Lianne told the Manchester Evening News.
Lianne admitted that her son didn't want to stop playing football: "They said he didn't have to give it up completely. But they told him to stop when he felt tired and not to push himself."
She revealed that he gave up 11-a-side Sunday League, but that he pushed on with six-a-side 'to keep himself involved', albeit for just five or six minutes.
But after one of these games on Monday, Derbyshire went back to his car while his friends watched a game at Curzon Ashton FC's Tameside Stadium, but when they walked out to his car, they saw the 27-year-old collapsed and unresponsive.
CPR attempts proved unsuccessful, and emergency services couldn't save him despite their best efforts.
Derbyshire was an assistant manager at McDonald's in Denton, working with his 20-year-old brother Tom, and lived in Stalybridge with his fiancée Charlotte and their daughter Lyla.
The Manchester City season ticket holder was a family man, as highlighted by his mother, who said that he 'adored his family', adding: "He doted on his daughter. He just loved life. He was a big music fan, big Oasis fan, big fan of The K's.
"He loved going to gigs. He absolutely loved football and he had a season ticket at City."
Adding that he lived his life to the fullest, she recalled that his heart condition really affected him, as he even asked for 'a working heart' for Christmas.
"It was heartbreaking really. We've had so many lovely messages from people who worked with him or knew him and who have all had such lovely things to say about him. We can't thank people enough," the emotional mother stated.
A GoFundMe campaign was started following his death, which has accumulated over £5,000 at the time of writing, to help support Charlotte and their daughter.
The page, which was set up by Charlotte's sister, reads that she 'received the most heartbreaking and devastating news' this week.
"Her fiancé and the love of her life Jack passed away after playing a game of football. Jack had been under the cardiologist for a heart condition and he collapsed after the game and sadly he didn't survive," she wrote.
Highlighting that Lyla has lost her father, she adds that her sister 'should be able to take as much time as needed' before heading back to work without a financial headache.
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
Joshua Nair