A family has paid a touching tribute to a young man who lost his fight for life in hospital.

Joshua Bailey, 23, from Weymouth, died in Kings College Hospital, London on November 8.

He had been fighting for his life after a virus left him with heart and liver failure, which meant he had to be placed on a life-support machine.

The Echo reported how a fundraising campaign had been launched by his family to help keep his mum Elaine Perrin and his sister Yasmin Bailey at his hospital bedside.

He had been transferred there from Dorset County Hospital on October 7.

Mrs Perrin said the family has been left devastated by his death, and that she will ‘never get over it.’

She explained: “We’re all devastated, I can’t believe my healthy son has gone. It came completely out of the blue, I keep thinking he’s on holiday somewhere because he’s not around.”

She said how Joshua would always have a smile on his face, and that she remembers how proud she was when he walked her down the aisle at her wedding.

Mrs Perrin added: “He was happy and always joking around, nothing would ever get him down.

“He always had a smile on his face. If something bad happened, he would try and turn it around into something positive.”

Joshua was born on February 21, 1995 and attended the former Royal Manor School on Portland. He had worked as a cleaner at Weymouth Pavilion.

Mrs Perrin said her son’s passion was football and he was a keen Arsenal supporter.

She explained: “Arsenal was his football team.He would support them whether they were playing good or bad.”

Joshua lived with his sister Yasmin Bailey and her partner Stephen Lewis for eight years in Weymouth.

Miss Bailey said: “The house will never be the same without him and we will miss all the silly banter and his silly ways. When we used to cook bacon, he would smell it up in his room and we knew he would be downstairs in seconds or text us saying ‘yes please.’”

Mr Lewis added: “It feels so unreal for the family having to accept that a healthy 23-year-old boy was taken by a virus within a short space of time, we will never get over it, and Elaine has said she will never get over it.”

Fighting with Joshua

A fundraising event is being held in memory of Joshua this Sunday, November, 25.

The Fighting with Joshua event will be held at The Rivera Hotel in Weymouth.

The event had been planned before Joshua’s death as part of the initial fundraising.

The first part of the event will start at 11am and finish at 4pm; the evening event will begin at 5pm and finish at around 10.30pm.

There will be a raffle, plenty of food and activities to keep children entertained.

There will also be live performances from The Leggomen, Amelia and her band from Weymouth College and a mystery guest.

Joshua’s mum Elaine Perrin said: “I am hoping it will be a really good community get together with Joshua’s friends and everyone who knew him.”

For more details, including how to purchase tickets, contact Stephen Lewis on 01305 458265.

Money from the event will go towards helping to pay for some of Joshua’s funeral costs and towards Monkey World, the charity of his choice.

His family hopes to adopt a monkey in his memory.