‘Luca was ready to go to heaven’

AN 11-YEAR-OLD who died suddenly after battling a rare illness had told his parents he “was ready to go to heaven”.

Luca Pucella’s heartbreaking words were read out at his packed funeral service in Bridgend yesterday.

He died last month after suffering a seizure caused by ROHHAD syndrome, which stands for rapid-onset obesity with hypothalmic dysfunction, hypoventilation and autonomic dysregulation.

The condition only affects 75 people in the world. It meant Luca battled a host of health problems including repeated respiratory and cardiac arrests.

Luca’s organs were donated and saved three lives, including a child.

In a tribute, which was read out by the Reverend Mike Komor before a packed St Mary’s Church in Coity, Luca’s mum Beth and dad Angelo said: “As many of you know, Luca was raised in the Christian faith, attending this very church. He had a strong faith and had expressed on several occasions this past few months that he wanted, and was indeed ready, to go to heaven.

“It gives us great comfort to know that Luca is now free of trauma and uncertainty and is at peace.

“It is the duty of all of us to allow him to live on in our hearts and minds and more importantly in our good deeds.”

Luca’s personality and involvement with many charities and health professionals meant he was well known throughout his hometown of Bridgend. Hundreds of mourners, including school friends and the many health professionals that treated him, turned out to pay their respects at a funeral which his parents vowed would be colourful, just as their son was.

South Wales Police escorted his rainbow-covered coffin to the church, where representatives of charities including Father Christmas, who attended as Tŷ Hafan’s ambassador, had also come to say goodbye.

Mr Komor said the support and compassion shown by the community had helped Luca’s family cope with their loss and, on their behalf, he thanked the teams of health professionals that had supported them and Luca throughout his life.

But Mr Komor added that in order to be in keeping with the way Luca had lived his life the service could not be a solemn one.

“He had a tremendous zest for life, a determined will, and a mischievous sense of humour, and that’s why it’s entirely appropriate that we use this opportunity to celebrate his life, everything about it that made it special, and everything about Luca that made him a wonderful person to know,” he said.