THE family of a young Derry GAA player who died suddenly from an unknown heart condition are to raise funds for research into the silent killer.
Kevin King (22) died during a game of indoor soccer on November 3 2016.
From Eglinton, he played for St Mary's, Slaughtmanus and his death sent shockwaves through the local GAA and wider sporting community.
After his death, his parents John and Margaret and brother Martin learned he had arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy - an inherited heart condition that damages the muscle of the heart and lead to sudden death.
On Saturday May 4 2019, two days before what would be Kevin's 25th birthday, the family is to hold the King of Hearts Ball in Titanic Belfast.
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The event was launched by compere Adrian Logan and Ireland rugby star Stephen Ferris who will speak about his sports career. Both support the family's campaign for more research into inherited heart conditions.
Money will go to British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland. It estimates that around 17,500 people in Northern Ireland have a faulty gene which puts them at an unusually high risk of developing heart disease or dying suddenly at a young age. It is estimated that at least one person aged under 35 dies every month from an undiagnosed heart condition.
The King family and wider community have so far raised more than £60,000 for BHF NI's heart research.
Martin King said his brother loved sport, and lived for football and his club.
"His death devastated our family and left a hole in our lives that just can't be filled. But we wanted to do something that would honour his memory and also try to prevent it happening to any other family. We wanted something good to come from his death so that's why we decided to raise money that will fund research into sudden deaths in young people," he said.
Stephen Ferris said he was proud to support the King family in their efforts to fund heart research.
"Knowing that every single month here in Northern Ireland a young person says goodbye to their parents, siblings, husband or wife and then never comes home again is just unthinkable," he said.
