A FOOTIE-mad dad has died after he collapsed in a gym, with his heartbroken family paying tribute.
Tim Sells, 47, was a coach at Whiststable Town FC and Tankerton, looking after the youngsters.
GOFUNDMEThe family of Tim Sells has paid tribute to the dad after he suffered a cardiac arrest and died[/caption]
He suffered a cardiac arrest while doing a work out at Snap Fitness in Herne Bay, Kent.
Tim was rushed to the QEQM Hospital in Margate but he never regained consciousness and died three days later with his family at his bedside.
His death has also hit the local football community across the county where he was respected for his coaching skills and knowledge, KentOnline reports.
He also worked as a football development manager for Millwall FC Community Trust.
Tim, also known as “Sellsy” lived in Herne Bay along with his long-term partner Lisa Goodger and their children Cody, 13, and Demi, 10.
Tim and Lisa had been together for 15 years and got engaged on her 50th birthday, in May last year.
Paying tribute, a heartbroken Lisa said the family had been left in “unimaginable shock”.
She said: “The first we knew that anything was wrong was when a policeman arrived at our home in Talmead Road and said Tim had been rushed to hospital after collapsing at the gym.
“We expected to find him recovering, so it was an unimaginable shock to be told that he had suffered brain damage.”
Lisa added that doctors feared he would not regain consciousness and he died on August 20, surrounded by his family at his bedside.
The mum-of-two said: “One minute he was with us and the next he was gone.
“It was a horrific ordeal, which we are still struggling to come to terms with.”
Tim was brought up in Whitstable and went to St Anselm’s School in Canterbury.
He later attended the University of East London where he studied for a business degree.
His passion though was football and turned it into a job with roles at Gillingham, Crystal Palace and Millwall FC.
The club said it was “devastated” by Tim’s death
Community Trust CEO Sean Daly said: “Tim played a pivotal role in expanding the department into the leading sports provider across Lewisham and Southwark.
“His unwavering passion for nurturing both players and people shone through in every aspect of his work.”
FacebookTim died in hospital, surrounded by his family[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
