Sudden Heart Condition Claims Life of Beloved 30-Year-Old

In late 2022, 30-year-old Luca Quinn tragically passed away from a sudden and unexplained heart condition known as sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS). Luca's best friend, Jed Pomeroy, 33, recounts the devastating events that unfolded.

Luca's girlfriend, Beatrice Vacnuic, had been trying to reach him for days, but when he didn't answer his phone, she grew increasingly worried. After 40 missed calls, Luca's family and friends decided to check on him, only to find him unresponsive in his bed. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, it was too late - Luca had died without any prior warning.

Jed, who had been friends with Luca since they were 11 years old, struggled to come to terms with the unexplained cause of his death. "It was a very slow and drawn-out process because there was a backlog of deaths to have postmortems at that time," he recalled. "When we found out it was SADS, it was not disappointing but it was almost frustrating because there is no real cause to it."

SADS is a condition that affects around 500 people in the UK each year, causing sudden cardiac arrest without a clear underlying reason. Luca, who had an active job as a pipe fitter, had no prior symptoms or known heart conditions. His funeral in April 2023 was "completely packed," a testament to the impact he had on so many lives.

Jed, who also has a heart condition, has since run a half-marathon to raise awareness and funds for the British Heart Foundation, which is working to better understand SADS and other cardiovascular diseases. This Christmas, the charity has launched a campaign to encourage donations for lifesaving research, in the hopes of preventing tragedies like Luca's in the future.