'I could see her heart break in front of me' - Daughter found dad dead in tent at Download Festival

A daughter dragged her dad's "cold" body out of his tent after he died at Download Festival.

Caitlyn Whitley, 19, woke up on June 11, 2026, after her first night camping at the heavy metal music festival in a tent next to her dad, Paul John Whitley, 50.

She first thought he was having a lie-in, but when he hadn’t risen by 10:30am, she decided to go into his tent to wake him up.

Instead, she found him lying on the floor and not moving, so she desperately called her mum to help.

Her mum, Emmilou Firshman, 49, and stepdad Scott rushed over and helped pull Paul out of the tent.

The cause of Paul's death is unknown, but a spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said they are not investigating it as suspicious.

Caitlyn, from Sittingbourne, Kent, said: “I woke up around 9am and stayed in bed for about half an hour and shouted good morning to my dad in the tent next door, but there was no answer.

“I went and tried to wake him at about 10.30am, but he was not lying down; he was at the front of the tent on his knees, it was like he was trying to crawl out of the tent.

“I was trying to wake him up, but he was cold and not moving, so I called for mum to help.

“My dad was well built; he had a proper dad bod, so I couldn’t move him.

“I saw them dragging him out of the tent, and he was blue, but he looked very peaceful, and didn't look like he had been in pain.

“Father's Day was so difficult, and I didn't sleep well at all. Every time I closed my eyes I kept seeing him in his tent.”

Emmilou described the moment she went into the tent and found his lifeless body.

Emmilou said: “I could see that he was in a weird position. I wiggled him, and he wasn't moving at all.

“I put my hand on his back, and he was freezing, and I knew something really bad was happening, so I ran to go and get somebody.

“Thankfully, one of the volunteers was a nurse and heard we needed help, so instantly came running on instinct.

“Caitlyn was hysterical. I could see her heart break in front of me; she was screaming and hyperventilating.”

Shortly after, an ambulance and police arrived, and a large black gazebo was erected to protect the family’s privacy.

Paul’s official cause of death can take up to 15 weeks to be confirmed, the coroner told Caitlyn, but she is certain it was not drug-related.

Caitlyn, who is training to become a car mechanic, said: “My dad doesn't drink, he sipped my cider, he had a coffee and a cigarette before bed and fell asleep.

“It was the first night camping, so we had an early night after a long day of driving to get there.

“I picked him up, and we drove together. He was laughing and joking the whole time.

“It was dad's first time camping; he only ever went to one-day local festivals, so he was so excited beforehand.

“He was a massive metal fan, most excited to see Limp Bizkit and Hollywood Undead at Download.

“When I was younger, I used to cry getting my nappy changed, and he would sing a Slipknot song to me to calm me down.”

Paul, a galvaniser from Sittingbourne, Kent, was also the sole carer for his mum, who had a stroke and now needs support from the local authority.

Caitlyn said: “He was a proper dad joker, always telling silly dad jokes.

“I had him wrapped around my finger; he would do anything for me without hesitation.”

Emmilou and Paul split up over a decade ago but remain close friends and co-parents to Caitlyn.

Emmilou told Talk to the Press: “He was my ex-husband, but we still had a really good relationship and it was all for Caitlyn because she is amazing and is the centre of everything.

“We’ve got tickets for so many other gigs and events that he now cannot go to see.”

Both Caitlyn and Emmilou praised Download Festivals' response.

Emmilou said: “There was a man called James Dean, who was in charge of the TLC team at Download, he was truly amazing.

“He looked after us and gave us everything we needed before I even knew what I needed.”

The family have set up a GoFundMe to support Caitlyn with the cost of the funeral. To donate click here.