Northern Ireland

Mother tells of heartbreak of losing husband and two sons to same genetic heart condition

Niall Lyttle (19) who died in November 2018, four days after he fell off a party bike in central Belfast city centre
Niall Lyttle (19) who died in November 2018, four days after he fell off a party bike in central Belfast city centre Niall Lyttle (19) who died in November 2018, four days after he fell off a party bike in central Belfast city centre

A GLENGORMLEY mother who lost her husband and two children to the same genetic heart condition has said her life is a “living nightmare” following the succession of tragedies.

Sharon Lyttle said she still feels “numb” following the death of her second child Niall (19) in November after he fell from a ‘party bike’. The Ulster University international hospitality and events management student had been out at a team-building event in central Belfast with classmates when the incident happened. 

Niall, who had not been pedalling on the multi-seat bike or drinking, because he had been due at work at Asda at Yorkgate that evening, fell from the bike at Amelia Street. Passers-by attempted to help him with a defibrillator. He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he died four days later.

Doctors gave the cause of the young man’s death as hypoxthic brain injury and aspiration pneumonia, due to cardiac arrest. Niall had been diagnosed with a genetic heart condition called cardiomyopathy a week before his 10th birthday. The condition causes the heart muscle to become enlarged and can result in an irregular heartbeat. He was diagnosed in March 2010 after his mother took him to be screened following the death of his father Neil in August 2009.

Niall Lyttle (right) pictured with his older brother Ryan, who died in 2008 at the age of 13. It was said at the time that the child died as a result of an asthma attack however it is now believed that it is likely he also had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy
Niall Lyttle (right) pictured with his older brother Ryan, who died in 2008 at the age of 13. It was said at the time that the child died as a result of an asthma attack however it is now believed that it is likely he also had genetic heart condition, Car Niall Lyttle (right) pictured with his older brother Ryan, who died in 2008 at the age of 13. It was said at the time that the child died as a result of an asthma attack however it is now believed that it is likely he also had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy

The father-of-two had been celebrating his 40th birthday and was driving a go-kart when he suffered a cardiac arrest. It was later found he suffered from cardiomyopathy.

Neil died 13 months after the couple’s eldest son Ryan in June 2008. He was 13. The child’s death was said at the time to have been the result of an asthma attack. But following his father’s death, it was thought to have been likely that the youngster also had cardiomyopathy. The father and sons are buried together in Carnmoney cemetery.

Speaking to The Irish News four months after losing Niall, Mrs Lyttle (47) said she really misses him.

“They were just cycling around,” she said.

“Niall wasn’t pedalling. He came off the bike. It turned out he had a cardiac arrest. 

Niall Lyttle pictured as a child with his father, Neil, who died in August 2009. The 40-year-old died after suffering a cardiac arrest. It was later found he had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy
Niall Lyttle pictured as a child with his father, Neil, who died in August 2009. The 40-year-old died after suffering a cardiac arrest. It was later found he had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy Niall Lyttle pictured as a child with his father, Neil, who died in August 2009. The 40-year-old died after suffering a cardiac arrest. It was later found he had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy

“The police went to Asda. I was at home and one of his friends from Asda arrived and said he had been involved in an accident.

“What the consultant said was, we don’t know and we probably won’t ever know if he took the cardiac arrest and fell off the bike or fell off the bike and took the cardiac arrest.”

The nursery assistant said that after her husband’s death in 2009 she took Niall to be screened and he was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in March 2010.

“It was a week before his 10th birthday,” she said.

“He had to give up competitive sport. He played in-line hockey. He took up golf then.”

Mrs Lyttle described Niall, a former pupil of Edmund Rice College, as someone who “just loved life”.

Sharon Lyttle pictured with her 19-year-old son, Niall, from Glengormley, who died in November 2018, four days after he fell of a party bike in Belfast city centre. The teenager, who suffered a cardiac arrest, had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy
Sharon Lyttle pictured with her 19-year-old son, Niall, from Glengormley, who died in November 2018, four days after he fell of a party bike in Belfast city centre. The teenager, who suffered a cardiac arrest, had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy Sharon Lyttle pictured with her 19-year-old son, Niall, from Glengormley, who died in November 2018, four days after he fell of a party bike in Belfast city centre. The teenager, who suffered a cardiac arrest, had genetic heart condition, Cardiomyopathy

“He had so many plans,” she said.

“He was hoping to travel. He loved his car, loved his clothes. He loved life. He was fun, he was loving and caring and was very loyal to his friends and family.

“It is just a living nightmare.

“It has just been empty. I am probably still numb and I really miss him.”

Mrs Lyttle said her grief at the time was compounded by lies and comments written about her son and what had happened, on social media.

“There was so much negative, false publicity,” she said.

“It was awful. He had not been drinking and never touched drugs. It was so hurtful and a lot of this was going on while we were in the hospital. They didn’t know the story and they didn’t know the person. Those people were saying things about Niall that were so not true and so not Niall.”

Mrs Lyttle and her family have raised money in memory of Niall.

Following a recent event at Corr’s Corner hotel, more than £12,500 was raised.

Sharon Lyttle presents a £12,000 cheque to the Royal Victoria Hospital's intensive-care unit in her son Niall’s memory
Sharon Lyttle presents a £12,000 cheque to the Royal Victoria Hospital's intensive-care unit in her son Niall’s memory Sharon Lyttle presents a £12,000 cheque to the Royal Victoria Hospital's intensive-care unit in her son Niall’s memory

Mrs Lyttle revealed that £12,000 has already been donated to the Royal’s intensive care unit where Niall was treated. The remaining funds are to be split between Air Ambulance, which was tasked on the night Niall took ill, and the JVC homeless shelter, as volunteers from the facility were among the people who came to Niall’s aid on the night he fell.

Mrs Lyttle said staff in the intensive-care unit were “absolutely amazing to both Niall and his family”.

“It was all the personal touches. They couldn’t do enough for us,” she said.

Mrs Lyttle also thanked Greenacres Golf Club, where Niall was junior captain, which has organised a fundraising event on Mother’s Day in his memory to raise funds to buy a defibrillator.

“The generosity of people is just overwhelming,” she said.

Mrs Lyttle called for more heart screening.

“It’s vital because there are more and more people out there suffering because of undiagnosed conditions. More needs to be done,” she said.

Mrs Lyttle said she is trying to carry on with her life with her help of her “amazing” family and friends.