Family pay tribute to much-loved Gourock dad who died aged just 50

The death of Gourock man Colin McKay has left his loved ones, friends and colleagues devastated.

Health and safety manager Colin suddenly collapsed at his Gourock home just over a month ago and was rushed to hospital.

It was discovered he'd suffered a bleed on the brain and although he initially responded to treatment his condition sadly deteriorated and doctors had to tell his family there was nothing more they could do.

His devastated wife Val says she has lost her soulmate and the couple's children Ross, 19, and Orlaigh, seven, their best friend.

Val, 46, says the last few weeks have been a blur, with the sudden nature of Colin's passing making it all the harder to bear.

She said: "Colin was in great shape,

"He had been on a fitness regime and he had lost four and a half stones.

"What happened is such a shock, it was so sudden.

"I'm alright on the outside but on the inside, I am totally devastated.

"I feel it's like a bad dream."

Colin had gone for his first Covid-19 vaccination on April 13 and was in good spirits afterwards before tragedy struck.

Val said: "He was fine and later that night the four of us were all playing a game in the living-room.

"We were having so much fun and then half an hour later he had collapsed in the bathroom.

"He'd had his Covid jab at 2.30pm at Greenock Town Hall that day.

"He was talking to my cousins and went for a coffee at Costa, chatting away and laughing in the afternoon and then tragedy at night.

"He had been doing stuff on his phone to do with the Scooter Club he was in and then at 10.30pm he collapsed in the bathroom.

"Colin knew what was happening to him - he shouted 'Val, I've had a stroke'.

"He was conscious the whole time.

"In the hospital he had trouble talking and he couldn't move his right side and he was squeezing my hand."

A scan at Inverclyde Royal revealed that Colin had suffered a bleed on the brain.

He was kept in hospital overnight in the high dependency unit and was responding to treatment.

But then the family were given the dreadful news that his condition had worsened.

Ross said: "At 2pm they said my dad had stopped responding and the bleed got worse and was inoperable.

"He fought a bleed on the brain for 26 hours - he fought right to the end."

Colin slipped away peacefully with his loving family at his bedside.

Ross paid a touching tribute to his dad, mentor and best friend.

He said: "If I get to 50 and have half the impact he had I'll be happy.

"We don't know how many years we have on the planet but if I have learned anything it's you have got to make every minute count.

"My dad gave everything 100 per cent - his work, home life and friendships.

"At least we all got the chance to say goodbye."

The family live in Ailsa Road and Colin was a very well-known and popular person in the area, with a wide circle of friends.

He was also highly respected where he worked at Babcock International in Faslane.

Colin was a huge Morton fan, following the club all his life, and he and Ross went faithfully to Cappielow every week and to away games together.

His love of the beautiful game also extended to coaching and he was involved in Port Boys' Club.

His other passions were photography and scooters.

Colin was a member of the Clyde Panthers Scooter Club and in his honour more than 100 members turned out in a procession along the route at his funeral, with friends from all over the country as far afield as Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Wales and England all paying their respects.

His cortege also passed his beloved Cappielow.

Val, who was married to Colin for 23 years, said he was always smiling, full of fun and would do anything to help anyone.

She said: "Colin was amazing.

"He could turn his hand to anything, he was the type of person that would do things for anybody, even people he didn't know."

Val said he was a loving father and husband and that he and Ross were like two peas in a pod.

She said: "Ross has been a rock - he is his dad inside and out.

"They were the best friends in the world, had such a great relationship and he has his nature.

"It's a great comfort to me."

Ross, who is studying politics at university in Paisley, said: "It's been a blur in the month since my dad passed away.

"The last two or three years we became very close.

"We'd always been close - we always went to the Morton games and stood with the other boys in the Cowshed.

"We went to all the away games and there are only a few grounds we hadn't visited."

Ross added: "My dad had great relationships with everyone.

"When he started his fitness regime, he went walking with his friend Shug Taylor and Shug told me that he'd always had pals but never had a pal like that.

"It didn't matter who dad was talking to, the conversation always ended with a smile and a laugh, even in work, if someone disagreed with him."

Ross says his dad was a down to earth modest dad who would like to be remembered as 'a normal, helpful, cheery, smiling guy'.

But he and Val know that he meant so much more to so many people.

Ross said: "We have received all this support not only because of the circumstances but because of who my dad was."

The family say they have been hugely comforted by support from Colin's friends, including many people they didn't know personally but who knew Colin.

Val said: "It has been overwhelming support, especially from the Scooter Club.

"I have no words to describe how amazing they have been."

"We have also had fantastic support from Colin's employers and we also want to thank Allan Clarke of PB Wright."

As they try to start to come to terms with their loss, it has given the family some solace to know that Colin is still helping others.

After his death they were able to agree to donate some of his tissue in line with his wishes.

Val said: "He is watching down over us."