Family tells of shock as Brierley Hill father found dead during fishing holiday
A keen fisherman has died suddenly during a holiday in Goa – just days before he was due home for his daughter's 17th birthday.
Shocked family members today paid tribute to 44-year-old Paul Grazier, who lived with his mother in Larksfield Mews, Brierley Hill.
Police in northern Goa are now investigating the medical cause of his death, although there are not thought to be any suspicious circumstances. Mr Grazier, a carpenter and regular visitor to the Indian state, used to leave his room at around 7am each day to go fishing with friends but failed to answer their knocks on his door at a guest house in Anjuna last Wednesday.
They alerted police, who called firefighters from nearby Mapusa and they found him dead in bed after breaking down the door.
Mr Grazier was due to return in time to celebrate the 17th birthday of his daughter, Georgia, tomorrow. His mother, Joan Grazier, aged 67, said today: "He was a son you could rely on – loving and kind. He was a bit roguish, but he was a lovable rogue – and he was a good dad. He'd gone back to India to a place he loved to fish."
Mr Grazier's sister, Julie Cox, aged 46, of Claverley, said the whole family, including daughter Georgia and his ex-partner, Zoe Matthews, was devastated by the tragedy.
Mr Grazier had left the country to go on holiday on January 7 and had ended up in Goa on February 3, where he rented a room in a guest house belonging to an Indian family he had stayed with before. Mrs Cox added: "I learned the news from an Indian friend of Paul's who lived next door to the guest house in Goa." The Indian neighbour also phoned Mr Brazier's mother. Mrs Cox said: "My mother was hysterical at being told Paul was dead and called the police but when officers arrived they said they feared it could have been a hoax call.
"The man then called again from India and spoke to the officers who were convinced the news was genuine. Sadly, the embassy in India had no record of Paul's death and it was not until 6.30pm that they were able to confirm it."
The cause of her brother's death is still unknown but a post mortem is due to be carried out this week in India. Mr Grazier's boss, Kevin Woods, director of Future UK Ltd, a refurbishment company at Cosford Business Park near Wolverhampton, said: "He was an absolutely wonderful guy – down to earth and loved by everybody."
