Paul O'Grady's dog nuzzled his face while he died 'as if to say wake up'
Paul O'Grady's widower Andre Portasio has recalled the devastating moment he found the star dead after 'the most ordinary day', and the heartbreaking reaction of their dog Arfur.
It's one year since the Lily Savage star died suddenly at the age of 67, leading to an outpouring of grief and heart-wrenching tributes.
He lived with long-term partner Portasio and their beloved dogs in Kent, and said O'Grady had been in 'wonderful form' just moments before he died.
Portasio now says he will be spending O'Grady's first anniversary in New Zealand, to be as far away as possible from the home they shared, and particularly 'anywhere near my kitchen where I found him'.
The couple were watching the news when O'Grady went to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, 'and I heard this loud bang'.
Portasio rushed in and found him lying on the floor with a cut on his head, and immediately called an ambulance who told him 'the best chance to keep him alive was to do CPR'.
He worked to save his husband, being left 'exhausted' by the time the ambulance arrived, and there was a shining moment of hope when paramedics declared he was breathing — 'but very shortly afterwards they pronounced him dead'.
In a heartbreaking revelation, Portasio recalled how O'Grady's favourite dog Arfur 'nuzzled his face as he always did on Paul's shoulder, as if to say wake up'.
O'Grady's love of dogs was well documented throughout his life, and even after his death he continued saving animals, having left a staggering amount in his will to the Battersea Cats and Dogs Home.
Having become an ambassador for Battersea in 2012 after the success ofITV's award-winning For The Love Of Dogs series, after his death the animalcharityalsoset up a 'tribute fund' in his honourwhich raised over 480,000.
And it was revealed this year that the star left a jaw-dropping 550,000 to the rescue charity.
Of his 15.5 million will, 775,000 was set aside for causes and organisations close to his heart.
The animal lover left the 500,000 to Battersea, as well as donations of 50,000 to elephant and orangutan charities.
He also gave 50,000 to the Salvation Army, who had helped him when he was growing up in Liverpool and where he also volunteered as a teenager.
It was said O'Grady died'unexpectedly but peacefully'and hiscause of deathwas later revealed as cardiac arrhythmia syndrome (SADS).
According to his death certificate obtained by the Daily Express, the syndrome was linked to the Blankey Blank host's heart disease.
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