Lisa Heald, from Radcliffe, went on holiday to Dalyan in Turkey with her family last August, to celebrate her husband, James Heald, turning 50.
A few days into what was supposed to be a week-long relaxing vacation, the family were walking back to where they were staying after enjoying a meal together, when Lisa asked her son, Branigan Smith, to take a photo.
Obliging, the 21-year-old, took the picture and handed his mum the phone back, then she said he collapsed right in front of her, and before she knew it, another English tourist who had seen what had happened, ran over and began CPR, explaining she was a doctor.
Lisa, 46, said: “He’d not been ill. He’d not said he was not feeling too great that night. His behaviour was no different to Branigan at any other point.”
Lisa Heald with her son Branigan Smith (Image: Lisa Heald)
Mum-of-three Lisa said the emergency services were then called and she and her husband had to follow Branigan in the ambulance for a 20-minute journey, which she described as feeling “like a lifetime” to the nearest hospital.
When they arrived, Branigan was being looked after in a cubicle, and she said the language barrier was making things difficult.
But thankfully, a kind waiter who recognised the family from earlier in the holiday had heard about what happened, and came to the hospital to help translate for the family.
Sadly, doctors told her that they tried for 50 minutes to revive Branigan, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Lisa, who works as a compliance manager, said she remembered “feeling numb” and having to identify her son’s body.
Branigan worked as a travel agent, and Lisa said he had a travel insurance policy that covered his repatriation. His body arrived in the UK on September 3, 2025.
She said the cause of his death is still unknown, and this has made processing his death even more difficult for her family.
Branigan was a keen football fan (Image: Lisa Heald)
Lisa said: “It’s so hard not knowing. Would it have always happened? Would it have happened at home? Was it always going to be that night?
“They’re just things that we, I don’t know if we’ll ever get the answers to.
“And could it happen to somebody else? Could it happen to another?
“Thinking about going on holiday and stuff, you live in fear that something might happen like that again.”
Branigan had two sisters, McKenzie and Daisy Smith, aged 27 and 14, and Lisa says if she did know his cause of death was an illness, this could mean that they could be tested.
She said it was “heartwarming” when customers from the travel agent, whom she had never met, attended his funeral.
Lisa said: “Branigan went to the gym four times a week. He was a healthy young lad.
Branigan Smith with his sisters, McKenzie and Daisy Smith (Image: Lisa Heald)
“He loved football. He was a massive Bolton Wanderers fan, hence why he’s called Branigan because there was a goalkeeper called Keith Branagan.
“He loved travel. That’s why he studied travel and tourism in college.
“He was such a lovable, happy boy. I’ve never known anyone who laughed and was as happy as Branigan was.”
Now Lisa has organised a football match in memory of Branigan, who used to play for Radcliffe Juniors and Westbury when he was young.
It will be held at 7.30pm on Friday, May 22, at Radcliffe FC, Neuven Stadium, Colshaw Close.
The match will see the two teams set against one another and will cost £1 to attend, with all funds going to the British Heart Foundation.
Lisa said she chose the charity because, although there is no official cause of death for Branigan yet, it could have been that he suffered a sudden cardiac death.
She said somebody has donated a trophy in her son’s name, which will now be the Branigan Smith Memorial Cup, and she has been asked to present this on the night.
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