Family hoping to bring home body of grandad after sudden death on Hawaiian cruise

John Thompson and his wife, Eileen, were visiting Honolulu and enjoying a meal on the seventh night of their holiday when he suddenly became unwell and collapsed. Credit: NCJMEDIA SYNDICATION

The family of a man who died suddenly while on a cruise in Hawaii is hoping to bring his body home.

John Thompson, 74, and his wife, Eileen, were visiting Honolulu and enjoying a meal on the seventh night of their holiday when he suddenly became unwell and collapsed.

Emergency services were called before he was taken to hospital for further treatment, but he unable to be revived.

Mrs Thompson had to fly home without her husband of 35 years and the family is now trying to get his body returned home, but have had issues with holiday insurance.

His son, Dale Thompson, of Burnhope, County Durham, said: "On the day of travel my dad must have noticed there was not something not right with the insurance once they were through customs.

"It said they were covered until the 2nd and not the 22nd but why would they only need three days of cover.

"The insurance company wanted an additional £850 so they asked for a refund and raised a complaint with the insurance company.

"They said they would get insurance with someone else but the company said they wouldn't be able to as they were now through customs.

"I spoke to my parents and said to just take it easy on holiday and not exert themselves so they wouldn't break a leg or sprain an ankle.

"Dad has always had health issues but nobody was expecting this to happen."

The family are facing medical bills in the region of £30,000 and a further £5,000 for funeral costs to have John cremated and flown home.

Dale said: "We are raising money to put towards the medical cost and funeral costs to get dad cremated and returned to the UK.

"We are hoping that will be in the next four to six weeks."

They are also raising money for the Visitor Aloha Society of Hi after staff supported Mrs Thompson while she was over there.

The family has planned a memorial celebrating Mr Thompson's life on 28 April at St John's Church, in Bradford, where he lived.

Dale said: "He was just a right salt of the earth guy. He would talk to anyone, he was the guy who always asked the taxi driver if they had been busy."

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