Brothers so close they lived as neighbours die just days apart

Brothers so close they lived as neighbours die just days apart Brothers Chris Rogers and Dave Rogers had both appeared healthy just months before their two unrelated illnesses turned fatal Two brothers - who were so close they even lived in the same block of flats - died just four days apart. Chris Rogers, 42, died on June 19, days after the loss of his younger brother Dave Rogers, 37. Both men had appeared healthy just months earlier, but then one fell gravely ill and the other then suffered a fatal collapse. Dave's brother's partner Claire Louise-Meight said: “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.” While the family were still trying to come to terms with the tragedy involving Dave, Chris was battling his own health problems after complications with his liver led to kidney failure. Claire told the Sentinel: “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.” Claire said Chris’s condition continued to deteriorate as fluid built up throughout his body, leaving him struggling to breathe despite signs he had started to improve. “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. “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.” Claire said losing both brothers within four days had left the family struggling to comprehend what had happened. She said: “It’s the worst thing I’ve ever had to go through. Just terrible. Chris died shouting out for his brother. He was never allowed to see his little brother before he passed away, because he was too ill. They never got to say goodbye. I think that just made Chris give up. “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. They both seemed fine a few weeks ago and we were all enjoying our normal lives. Now they’ve both just gone in the blink of an eye.” Claire said the brothers were known for their humour and close bond, with the pair living just one floor apart and rarely far from each other. “Chris was a brilliant, gentle giant,” Claire said. “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. You couldn’t not sit there and laugh watching them wind each other up. I lived with Chris, and Dave lived in the flat above us. We used to shout up at him and he’d shout back down at us. We had some right laughs.” Chris and Dave’s family are preparing to give the brothers a joint send-off and have launched an online fundraiser to help cover the unexpected funeral costs. Claire added: “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.” People wishing to support the family can donate through the GoFundMe page here.