Young Scots man dies suddenly after falling ill at adult disability centre

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Tributes have been paid to a young man with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who died suddenly at the age of 20. Shaun Paul Shirkie, of Bonnyrigg, Midlothian was at Cherry Road Centre, a day centre for disabled adults, when he suddenly took ill last Wednesday.

He suffered cardiac arrest and was rushed to Royal Edinburgh Hospital but never regained consciousness.He died on Saturday surrounded by his close family including dad, Paul Shirkie, mum, Laura King, and gran, Margaret Shirkie.His devastated gran Margaret paid tribute to her grandson and hopes to raise awareness of his condition.She said: "Shaun passed away with all his family round him.

It was very peaceful."He looked absolutely gorgeous as he always did."Mine and Shaun's favourite song was 'Hello' by Lionel Richie.

After he died, I went down to the sanctuary in the Royal where there's a tree that you can put wee messages on."I put my hand into the basket and pulled out what I thought was a blank but it had 'hello' written on it."I know he was there with me and I think he knew we were all there with him."That's very comforting to me."The Saltersgate School pupil's sudden death is said to have devastated staff at his former school in Dalkeith.Shaun was diagnosed with DMD - a severe, progressive, muscle-wasting disease that leads to difficulties with movement and premature death - when he was six weeks old.It took the tot longer than normal to start walking, which he began at five years old and started to use a wheelchair aged seven.As he got older he was diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine and eventually had to be propped up by cushions in his wheelchair.Margaret continued: "Shaun's uncle Gavin had muscular dystrophy.