Teen died weeks before sweet shop was opened in his honour

AN 18-YEAR-OLD died from cystic fibrosis just weeks before a sweet shop created in his name by his family opened.

Cristan Nicholas died on February 5 from the genetic condition without ever seeing the shop, named Cristan’s Candy in Tynewydd in the Rhondda, open.

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition that causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs. Cristan was diagnosed when he was six weeks old after a heel prick test.

Mum Lisa, 38, from Tynewydd, said: “It [cystic fibrosis] affected him with medication, being in and out of hospital, it was a busy lifestyle.

“He went into hospital on February 2. We were going into hospital to learn how to do IV drips at home. He had to stay in because his bloods were not right and then he deteriorated.”

Lisa said Cristan had already arranged his funeral plans and who to have with him during his final days.

Step-mum Jodie, 37, from Porth, said: “It was absolutely devastating. It was such a shock. Even though we had known it was end-term it was a shock. He had not been into hospital for about nine and a half weeks before that.”

In a Facebook post from July 2017 Cristan described his condition and how he was deteriorating. He described difficulties breathing, needing a wheelchair, and how he was unable to have a lung transplant.

He wrote: “Being unable to have the lung transplant as I am [too] weak and will most likely not survive the operation means I am now in a state of just holding out as long as I can. Hell maybe a miracle will happen and I’ll eventually recover, I’ve always been strong with things like this and lasted a lot longer than I probably should have to be honest.

“So I hope I can pull through again but the odds are against me, my body is [slowly] wearing away and I’m unable to push back and keep fighting as I am simply too weak.”

He added it sometimes felt like he was “suffocating” and how each day became a “struggle” to make it to the next.

Jodie said Cristan had not wanted to see the shop before it was completely finished. The shop opened on March 10 and the family said the local community have come out in support.

Jodie said: “He loved sweets. He was such a sweetaholic. If we bought sweets he would buy about £5 or £6 worth. So last year I said I would open a sweet shop. He didn’t want to see anything to do with the shop until it was finished but I know we had his approval.”

Jodie described him as a “fun, loving, bubbly character” who was the “life of the party”.

Lisa said: “He was a big lover of sweets, they were one of his favourite things. He would love the sweet shop, absolutely love it.

“It’s been pretty good so far and we have had lots of support from the local community and from all the people who knew Cristan.”