The family of an Angus dad who died following a long battle with cancer and a series of heart attacks has paid tribute to his “loving and caring” spirit.
Andrew Brown, of Tealing, died at 46 after suffering a massive heart attack at home, the ninth attack he suffered due to his condition.
The brave father-of-one, who was born in Dundee, was also battling cancer after being diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of 37.
During his treatment, Andrew underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy and also received a bone marrow transplant from his devoted sister, Sandra Brown.
He suffered his first heart attack just after Christmas last year and the devoted dad suffered further minor attacks before he passed away on April 23.
His devastated mother Rosaleen Brown (73), of Tealing, described her youngest son as “the love of her life.”
“He was absolutely great he never moaned about his treatment,” she said. “He was as strong as an ox. He had chemotherapy and radiotherapy but he got on with things.
“The treatment was difficult, it affected his eyesight, his teeth and his immune system too. He had a heart attack just after Christmas. There was no sign of it whatsoever before it happened.”
After being treated at hospital following the attack, Andrew returned home to live near his mother and suffered a series of minor attacks.
“I knew he didn’t have long,” Mrs Brown said. “A few weeks ago we went to see the specialist and he told him straight and gave him around three years at the most.”
Mrs Brown said Andrew who had one daughter Jemma (20), a student who lives in Dumfries was devoted to his family and said they were all still trying to come to terms with their loss.
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“His daughter was the light of his life,” she said. “He loved being a dad. He was someone who should have had a dozen children.”
Andrew’s sister Sandra (48) said her brother was loved by all who knew him.
“He was so loving, caring, forgiving and extremely generous,” she said. “We are a big family and we have a close relationship. A lot of people knew him from when he worked as a doorman, and he was good at his job. He was well liked by everyone.
“He was supposed to be giving my eldest daughter away at her wedding this year. We are all trying to stay pretty strong at the moment.”
Dundee-born Andrew lived in several places across the country with his family while his dad was in the military, including London, Cyprus, Inverness and Northern Ireland.
His family moved to the Linlathen area of Dundee when he was a teenager and he attended Linlathen High School, before the family settled in Tealing.
During his working life, he was a trained chef and also worked as a doorman and a bar manager.
Andrew is survived by his mother Rosaleen, his father Alex, brother Alex and sister Sandra, Jemma and seven nieces and nephews.