Tributes have been paid to a “beloved” father and youth team football coach who died while on holiday on the Spanish island of Majorca.
Michael Grant, from Waterford in Ireland, died suddenly in the early hours of Monday while staying with family and friends.
According to local media, the 45-year-old was found in the middle of a street in the town of Magaluf.
Newspaper Ultima Hora reported that police initially believed Mr Grant died of natural causes.
However, wounds discovered by a coroner suggest he may have been hit by a car.
He also had bite marks on his shoulder and arm, with glass inside a wound, the paper reported, citing local police.
A post-mortem examination is ongoing.
‘Beloved friend’
St Joseph’s AFC, the football club where Mr Grant was the children’s team’s head coach, said the community was “absolutely devastated” by the news.
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“It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the sudden shock passing of our dearest club member and head child coach, Michael Grant,” the club said in a statement.
“As many of you know, Michael was more than just a coach to us – he was a beloved friend and as a club and for his family we need time to process this devastating loss.”
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He was a “mentor and a friend” to all the children and senior members of the club, they added, and he “cherished every one” of his players.
Spanish media reported on a statement from the local council of Calvia, which said an employee of a local establishment had “alerted police, saying that a man was unwell and was stumbling around in the street”.
“Policia Local arrived and performed CPR but were unable to revive him. The Guardia Civil has taken over the investigation to determine the cause of death,” the authority said.
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St Joseph’s AFC said Mr Grant was married to his wife Leanne and had four children.
He had played for Waterford football club Johnville FC as a teenager.
“Michael, sleep well, dear friend,” St Joseph’s AFC said in their statement.
“You will be missed forever, but your legacy and the love you shared will never be forgotten and will always live on in our club.”
A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland said they were aware of the case and were providing consular assistance.
He added: “As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of any specific case.”
Source : Sky News
