TRIBUTES have been paid to a loving father of three from Rhyl who died days after contracting a rare form of meningitis.
Marciano Nolan, 46, of Glyn Avenue, died at Glan Clwyd Hospital’s intensive care unit on January 6 from meningococcal septicaemia.
His partner of 14 years, Clare Streeter, has launched a Facebook campaign to raise awareness of the disease which affects 35 people aged between 40 and 50 each year in England and Wales.
“This has been a huge shock,” said Clare.
“He was my life, he was a rock for me.
“The whole family is devastated.
“I’ll never see Maz again and his children will never see their daddy again.
“He was a loving father.
“He loved his children and worked seven days a week. ”
The couple have three children Brandon, 11, Lizzie, seven, and Bella, just seven months old.
Mr Nolan ran a burger van on the A55 near Rhuallt and previously worked at the Liverpool Arms.
He fell ill on January 2 and his condition got progressively worse, suffering from severe headaches, dehydration and aversion to light.
Clare, 29, sent him to Glan Clwyd’s emergency department but he was sent home with medication with staff believing him to be suffering from a virus.
He was admitted to the hospital again later that day after his condition deteriorated.
Meningitis, which is inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, is often detectable by a blotchy rash but Clare is keen for the disease’s other symptoms to also be recognised.
“I was sat with him and I noticed the rash on his arm,” said Clare.
“It was in between the tattoo on his arm, we never would have noticed it.”
Clare has now launched the Maz’s Meningitis Campaign Nolan page on Facebook.
She said: “Never go by the rash, I want people to be aware it has other symptoms.
“I want people to know how serious this infection is and how quickly it can kill.”
Clare praised the work of staff at Glan Clwyd Hospital saying: “We could not have asked for better care at the hospital.
“They said it was very rare and one of the worst cases they have ever had.”
Mr Nolan’s funeral will take place on January 24 at St Mary’s Church, Rhyl, at midday with donations to the ICU ward at Glan Clwyd Hospital.