Harlech's Liam Ashton-Hughes 'inspirational and kept giving'

Liam's mother said he was "one in a million".

The family of a man who died from a serious lung disease have paid tribute to their "big friendly giant".

Liam Ashton-Hughes, 30, from Harlech, Gwynedd died from pneumonia on Sunday after a double lung transplant and catching Covid in February.

Even though he was shielding during the pandemic, the army training instructor did not stop helping people, even doing cadet calls from his hospital bed.

His mother, Clare Ashton said he was "one in a million".

Mr Aston-Hughes was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension in 2010, subsequently needing a lung transplant in 2017.

He contracted viral pneumonia last year and was being treated at Ysbyty Gwynedd.

He found out in October that he could not be treated any more as it had caused too much damage to his lungs.

In February he contracted Covid-19 during an outbreak at the hospital and despite the fact he "got over it" and eventually tested negative, his family said the virus "weakened him".

Clare and her son Regan said it was "difficult" to not be able see Liam in hospital because of the Covid restrictions in place

Mr Ashton-Hughes' family said not being able to visit him had been "difficult" in recent months, but understood why the Covid rules were needed.

'Facetime is not the same'

While he was in hospital he also suffered "infection after infection", which made being away from him harder, they said.

"When he was ill, I was with him all the way through the acute illness from before the transplant, through the transplant, through the transplant recovery, I was there, and not there when it was a more important time in his life," said Ms Ashton.

"We have Facetime and phones but it's not the same. I just wanted to sit with him and hold his hand, he liked to have his hand stroked."

Her son did get to go home on Christmas day and she was able to spend time with him on the day he died.

She said: "I just had a feeling that I had to go back. All he wanted was dignity and peace and that is what [the hospital] gave him.

Liam's brother Regan said his he was a "unique person".

"It's really hard to think because of Covid we couldn't go to see him. I was texting him almost every day," he said.

"I couldn't ask for a better person as a brother, he was a genuine person and you could tell he really loved you, one of a kind.

"I've had so many messages from people, it was great... it's really inspirational. "

Liam would would do video calls for the Cadets but change the background so they would not know he was in hospital

Mr Ashton-Hughes was also one of Harlech's first responders helping people in the community with tasks such as collecting prescriptions, helping with shopping and collecting messages.

'Mum, I've got things to do'

While doing his Zoom calls with the cadets from his hospital bed he changed the background to disguise where he was.

"I kept telling him that he should be shielding and he said, 'Mum, I've got things to do, I've got people to help'," said Ms Ashton.

"I will remember him as this big friendly giant who gave without taking, who never moaned, who never complained, who never said, 'why me?'.

"I'm so proud, all the messages, everybody's ringing, everybody's bringing presents, everybody's bringing food, I've got so much food in the house."

"He has made his mark on the world, and there is a huge hole left behind."

"He was one in a million. I joked with him, 'They broke the mould when they made you.'"