Father of six died of heart attack while fishing in Bloxwich
A father of six died when he fell into a Black Country canal after suffering a heart attack a month before his 40th birthday, an inquest heard.
Stephen Keats, who suffered from epilepsy, had been fishing on the Wyrley and Essington Canal when he was pulled from the water near Slacky Lane Bridge in Bloxwich.
The 39-year-old was found in the canal by his partner of 25 years, Maria Banner.
He was rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital but was pronounced dead at 10.05pm on July 20 last year. Today his family paid tribute to a 'devoted father and grandfather'.
Miss Banner, aged 43, said: "Stephen was so devoted to our children and our grandchildren. He was just a wonderful man. He was diagnosed with epilepsy when he was 16 so I always worried about him but he liked his independence.
"On the day he died he went fishing and I went to the arboretum but when he didn't return home I knew something was wrong and I thought he had maybe had a fit.
"Maybe it was my intuition but I went searching for him with his mum. It was awful when I found him. I wouldn't want anyone to find themselves in that situation."
Miss Banner met Mr Keats while she was a student at Manor Farm School aged 14. He was 11 and attended TP Riley Comprehensive School. The couple began dating a few years later and went on to have six children together, James, aged 23, Selina, 22, Nicola, 17, Stephen, 15, Brandon, 14, and Kane, 10. Miss Banner said: "Our love blossomed over the years because he was such a joker and knew how to make me laugh which is why I fell in love with him. He became my best friend and soulmate and now it feels like a part of me is missing.
"We have got three grandchildren and another one on the way so I will be telling them all about how great their grandfather was. We had planned to celebrate his birthday with a night out with friends because he was dreading turning 40 but we raised a glass in his memory."
At an inquest held at Walsall Manor Hospital yesterday, the coroner concluded he had died of natural causes. Pathologist Dr Smita Deshpande gave the cause of death as a heart attack.
She said: "He had been taking his epileptic medicine and there was no overdose or any alcohol in his blood. You can have a heart condition without showing any signs."
Mr Keats, of Valley Road in Blakenall, had no pre-existing heart conditions that he was aware of when he died.
Black Country Coroner Robin Balmain said: "This is devastating because Mr Keats was so young. I record that this is a natural event and Mr Keats died of natural causes."
