Fit and healthy 20-year-old’s heart stopped in beach tragedy

Popular fashion student pulled from sea by parents could not be revived

A popular 20-year-old was pulled from the sea by his devastated parents after his heart stopped suddenly while swimming, an inquest has been told. Former Canterbury schoolboy Felix Lewis suffered a sudden cardiac arrhythmia after diving into the water while on a family holiday in Croatia. Desperate attempts were made to revive him on the beach, but he was pronounced dead by medics.

Felix, who went to The Archbishop’s School and UCA in Canterbury, was staying in Pisak with his family when he was spotted unresponsive in the water.

He had dived into the sea but had to be pulled out by mum, Diana, and dad, Ben.

At an inquest into Felix’s death, Mr Lewis described how he saw his wife cradling his son half out of the water.

In a statement, he said: “At first I thought they were joking but then released it was more serious.”

Locals helped with resuscitation attempts before paramedics arrived - but 45 minutes after Felix was pulled from the water, they told his parents he could not be saved. Assistant coroner Sonya Hayes said at the inquest: “I appreciate the death of Felix Lewis has come as a shock, not because of his age but because he appeared to be a fit and healthy man.” A post-mortem examination conducted in Croatia last year concluded the cause of death was immersion in water due to a broken neck.

But unhappy with the report, which claimed it was an accident, Felix’s family asked for a second opinion.

This found no evidence of a broken neck and instead established Felix had suffered a cardiac arrest after he dived into the sea.

His heart was sent to Professor Mary Shepherd at St George’s Hospital in London.

She looked at the organ in “great detail” and found it to be normal with no evidence of significant coronary disease. Dr Shepherd described it as a sudden adult death and noted she had found a normal heart in a number of similar incidents. The assistant coroner said at the inquest she was satisfied it was far more likely - with no known health problems - that Felix “succumbed to a sudden adult death”.

She added that in those conditions it is “often impossible” to revive someone and concluded he died of sudden cardiac arrhythmia and of natural causes.

On behalf of the family, Felix’s father said he was “satisfied” with the conclusion when asked by Ms Hayes.

Last year, his parents and brother, Théo, paid a touching tribute to Felix.

“He was our beautiful boy,” they said. “He was a kind, loving, gentle soul who had time for everyone.

“He was full of life, studying fashion at Manchester Uni, surrounded by so many friends and a girlfriend he loved.

“He has been taken from us far too early and we mourn the life he should have lived. There is a Felix-sized hole in our family which will never mend. We love you and miss you.”

Felix was popular in Whitstable, where he had previously held a part-time job at Ruskin in Harbour Street, which is owned by his aunt and uncle, Shelly and Garrie Keeys. Felix studied at UCA in Canterbury before starting a fashion degree at the University of Manchester.

‘He has been taken from us far too early and we mourn the life he should have lived’

Felix Lewis, 20, died suddenly while on holiday with his family in Croatia