TAKEN IN HIS SLEEP AT 33
Family’s tribute to ‘cheeky chappie’ Ryan
WITH his cheeky smile and zest for life, Ryan Rafferty knew how to make a room laugh.
In his teens he was the joker of the class and his carefree attitude remained with him in his adult life.
And when he got fed up with a job, he would jack it all in, jump on a plane and party until he returned home to start up again.
But now Ryan’s family has paid tribute to the fun-loving 33-year-old after he died suddenly in his sleep.
And they say they will miss his sense of humour, friendship and antics that made them all love him.
“He was a cheeky chappie growing up but he was very protective over his brother and sisters,” said devastated mum Moira, of Harelaw, near Stanley, County Durham.
“He was a free spirit. One thing was for sure - he did love life and everyone loved him.”
Ryan had been staying at a friend’s house in Stanley when he passed away in bed.
“When the police knocked on the door it was awful,” added Moira. “They said he was found at about 6.30pm on September 6, his friend went to wake him but couldn’t. He went in his sleep.”
Fighting back tears she said: “It was horrible when the police told me, I was in bits.”
Ryan, who lived with his parents Moira, 55, and Graeme, 56, went to Greencroft Comprehensive School.
Moira added: “He liked school when it was closed, he liked to be at school for the craic but he didn’t like doing the work.”
When at school Ryan was a member of the Table Tennis Junior British League and was ranked amongst the top 30 in the country.
His brother Sam, 28, said: “He played all over the country in tournaments, the league was basically like the England team now. He was in the under 18s and won quite a few area titles.”
And it was at school he met best pal Michael Miles.
“We were in the naughty class and I could hear him clashing the desk and hoying bits of paper at the walls,” said Michael, now 33. “I looked around and thought, he’s my mate and we went through life together.
“We were like Top Gun - Maverick and Goose. He was my wingman, or if you asked him, he would say I was his. I’ll miss everything about him.”
Ryan left school at 16 and went to New College in Durham on a plumbing apprenticeship. But he moved jobs frequently and added scaffolding, labouring, block paving and factory work to his repertoire.
“He would say ‘I’m going on holiday, I’m stressed out, I’ve got no responsibilities’ and he would just get on a plane and go,” said mum Moira.
“He went to Tenerife a few times, Cuba, Turkey, Marbella and Lanzarote. He would go on his own, he’d finish his job and wasn’t bothered if he came back to nothing, he knew he could start again.”
As well as brother Sam, Ryan leaves sisters Stacey, 30, and Reah, 25. He was also uncle to nieces and nephew, Lexi and Macy, both seven, Rosie, four and 17-month-old Travis.
His funeral service will take place on Wednesday at 10.15am at Mountsett Crematorium and he will be buried in Harelaw Cemetery.