A grieving family has unveiled a stunning mural in honour of their son and brother who died suddenly during a cricket match aged just 24.
Nottingham cricketer Josh Downie went into cardiac arrest during a game in Liverpool in May 2021.
He was given CPR and rushed to hospital in desperate attempts to save his life but he sadly died, later found to have had an undiagnosed heart condition called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM).
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Three years on, the British Heart Foundation have launched a campaign in his honour, which includes the work of street art in Sneinton Market.
The painting of Downie is accompanied with the message: “England ‘til I died.”
Downie’s sister, Olympic gymnast Becky Downie, told the Nottingham Post that her brother would be proud of the mural.
“You hear about things like this happening — but you never, ever think it’s going to happen to your family,” she said.
“Josh was just a happy, bubbly person and his personality really shone through.
“Since his passing, everyone who knew him has been saying he was just one of those people who made a big impact everywhere he went.
“He was also really caring and wanted to help people wherever he could.
“It was a massive shock losing Josh and I remember just feeling really confused. It was so completely out of the blue.”
Josh was one of five siblings, including Becky and Ellie, who is also an Olympic gymnast.
Becky said the scariest thing after her brother’s death was learning that the rest of their family was at significant risk of suffering the same fate.
“Obviously one of the biggest shocks was hearing that there was a 50/50 chance we could also have the condition — especially being athletes and having to think about how it would affect our careers,” she said.
“My understanding now is that ACM is a condition that can present later in life, so we’ll just continue to be monitored and tested.
“But I guess the positive thing is that at least we have an awareness of it and an understanding of the condition now. If it’s diagnosed at least it can be managed.
“I think Josh would be proud of the mural, and it was emotional to see it in person. Josh was a massive part of our family and always will be — and we just want to keep his legacy alive.”