ON YOUTUBE He was 35 years old when he died of cancer.
His family called the father of two a “warrior” and a “hero.”
Luke’s wife Beckey said he died on August 2 at home with his family by his side.
Luke had joked with his followers just three weeks before that he was still “alive and kicking.”
Through his YouTube channel, I Will Not Be Defeated, the brave and inspiring Grimsby man told people all over the world about his journey.
In August 2022, it was found that he had Leiomyosarcoma in its fourth stage.
This very uncommon cancer only affects 0.17 percent of all cancers found each year, and it grows in the smooth muscles.
Luke was only expected to live for 12 months, but he beat the odds by going through multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
Luke was told by his oncologist in October of last year that he only had a few months left to live. He once again beat his expectations.
Luke died at home on August 2, though, with his family and friends by his side.
He is survived by his wife Beckey, their two children Taylor, five, and Scarlett, three, as well as his mother Lisa, father Brian, and many other loved ones.
Death was the title of his last video, which came out on July 18. “I feel like death is on me,” Luke said. For 13 days, he had been sick.
He leaned back in his car seat and said, “It’s just a short video to keep everyone up to date.”
“Someone asked me if I was still alive on one of my other videos the other day.”
“I’m still alive mate, I’m still alive and kicking, just.”
Luke said that his mental health was getting better and that he had to be strong to get through it.
Later, he said he had been having trouble breathing and showed an oxygen machine next to him. He had been in bed for two days with what was thought to be a chest infection or “disease progression.”
“I haven’t felt anything like it,” he said. People have been asking me if I’m okay and other things, and to be fair, I haven’t been on my phone.
“I’ve been sick, short of breath, and coughing.” But I’m getting better, and I won’t give up.
VERY RARE AND UNCUREABLE
Lisa and Beckey, Luke’s mom and wife, told GrimsbyLive that Luke was “kind, loyal, and funny” and that he “always put others first,” even when he was sad or hurt.
“From when Luke was diagnosed two years ago, we were pretty much in the dark, we were Googling things to try and find out information,” she said.
“We were hopeless because we didn’t know what to do.”
“It affected Luke’s mental health because he had a wife, kids, parents, family, and friends. At first he was all over the place until he decided one day, “I will not be defeated.”
“He said that at the time, and he fought from that day on.” He is our army and our hero.
Chemotherapy hurt his health, but it gave us more time with Luke. It’s been hard.
“We knew [his cancer] was rare and would not get better, but he kept a positive attitude and fought for two years, through highs and lows.”
“It wasn’t always easy, but my family stuck together.”
The reason he made his YouTube channel was to help other people, which he did.
“On days he didn’t feel well, he watched videos on YouTube. On days he felt strong, he took out his bathroom and toilet and put in a brand-new shower by himself, after chemotherapy.” He was such an example for other people.
Luke planned a walk across the Humber Bridge and back to raise money for charity and other people with cancer while he was himself fighting the disease.
“He did that while he had two fractures in his back,” she said.
He broke his back weeks ago when he fell off his quad, but he didn’t know it because he was in so much pain. He walked all the way across and back.
“He always put other people ahead of himself.” That man was so kind and didn’t care about himself at all.
“He would cover up any pain he was in to be able to chat and be friendly to others.”
Lisa’s job with Beckey led to their chance meeting in 2016. They fell in love and got married in 2022 while working together.
Beckey remembered, “Lisa and I worked together, and one day we were just chatting outside of work when Luke pulled up in his car and asked, ‘Who’s that girl, mom? She’s hot?’”
“I joked in my secret Santa that I wanted a boyfriend for Christmas because I thought I’d never fall in love.”
“After that, Luke sent me a friend request. We talked, and I ended up going around.” We fell in love over pizza.
“He was really amazing. He still wanted to help me and the kids even though he was getting chemo.
“He got out of bed to take the kids to school, bought himself a bike to ride with them, and pushed himself to go to Taylor’s graduation.”
“He’d get right to it. He loved and trusted others, showed affection, and was loyal. He was also a bit of a romantic.
“He always thought of me on my birthday and bought me random gifts to make me laugh.” Luke helped me get strong.
Luke’s service will be held at Grimsby Minster on August 23 at 11 a.m.
People can dress however they want, whether it’s a suit or something from Luke’s Army. In honor of Luke, one-piece suits are also recommended.
After that, the funeral will be held at The Pear Tree. The family asks that no kids younger than 16 years old come to the wake or funeral.
Co-op Funeralcare, Abbey Road can be reached at 01472 355707 if anyone wants to order flowers.