Chris Rogers, 42, and his brother Dave Rogers, 37, from Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, died within four days of each other, leaving their family devastated. Chris died on 19 June, shortly after Dave's sudden death from a brain aneurysm. The brothers lived in the same block of flats and were described as popular and outgoing.
Sudden Illness and Tragic Loss
Dave became unwell suddenly. Chris' partner, Claire Louise-Meigh, told Stoke on Trent Live: "Dave had an aneurysm out of nowhere. We were having a laugh and a joke with him. Then he just stopped, paused, and dropped. His face drooped and his pupil blew. A blood vessel had burst in his brain. He had to have a 13-hour surgery to try to save his life. But when he came out of it, he was brain dead. There was nothing more they could do."
Chris was simultaneously battling his own medical crisis. Claire explained: "It all started about six months ago. A scan revealed part of Chris' liver was damaged. They said it would regenerate over time. He was getting bad infections because his liver wasn't filtering any of the toxins out of his blood. That ended up damaging his kidneys. Because they were both knackered, his body couldn't get rid of stuff like it needed to. It was slowly poisoning him. Then he started getting really bad problems with excess fluid in his body. It was building up in his legs, his arms, his stomach, and his chest. It was everywhere. He started struggling to breathe."
A Glimmer of Hope Shattered
Claire said: "We got told that it looked like he was starting to improve. His liver appeared to be healing. If that got sorted, then his body could start looking after itself again. But then he died less than 24 hours later." Chris died shouting out for his brother, whom he was never able to see before his death due to his own illness. Claire said: "I think that just made Chris give up."
Devastating Impact on Family
Claire described the loss as "absolutely awful" and "the worst thing I've ever had to go through." She said: "There was only four days between them. It's just devastating. How does that even happen? I've never experienced a week filled with loss like this before. It's just surreal." Chris and Dave were cherished by many. Claire said: "Chris was a brilliant, gentle giant. He was my soulmate. He was just an amazingly brilliant man. Everyone Chris met loved him. Because he just loved life. When I put the news that he'd died on Facebook, so many people reached out. Thousands of people commented and reacted to the post. The pair of them were amazing. They got on like a house on fire. They were so funny, it was unreal. They were forever playing tricks on each other."
Joint Farewell and Fundraiser
The family is planning a joint farewell for the brothers and has launched an online fundraiser to help with expenses. Claire said: "Their mum is absolutely beside herself. Nobody should have to bury a child. Never mind burying two at the same time. Their dad can't be around anyone at the moment because it's all just too raw for him. And their older brother just can't believe he's lost both of his siblings."
