When he walked into the room, it lit up.

That’s how Annie Wiltshire remembers her son, 39-year-old Daniel, who died suddenly of a brain haemorrhage in March.

But that’s not where the memories end. She has also launched a charitable trust in his name to promote awareness of organ donations, after his organs were donated to several patients following his sudden death.

And friends of his in the Maidstone-based Changeling Theatre, which he was a member of from the mid-90s, will dedicate a performance of their latest production, Romeo and Juliet, on Sunday to the cause.

Keen actor Mr Wiltshire collapsed at home on Sunday, March 30, and died at King’s College Hospital in London later that day.

Mrs Wiltshire, of Boxley Road, Maidstone, said the aim of the trust was to raise awareness for people to let their loved ones know of their donor card wishes.

She said: “When you're asked, you need to say yes quickly otherwise you will lose that chance.

“People dither and say ‘what do you think?’ to each other. They ask you early and it feels quite harsh, but you have got to be clear minded.

“He carried a donor card for some years and I was fortunate that I was able to say yes, that’s what he would have wanted.”

Mrs Wiltshire said of her son, who attended St Francis Roman Catholic School in Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Grammar School: “He was my soulmate, he was just wonderful.
“When he walked into a room, the room lit up. It was the same for the stage. He was just full of life. He would say yes to everything.”

And Changeling Theatre will dedicate their performance on Sunday (June 29) at Boughton Monchelsea Place at 6pm to his memory, with a retiring collection for the trust.

Rob Forknall from the group said: "There was a strong possibility he would have been playing the Friar in this production. He was a big part of Changeling."