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It was a year ago that former Sittingbourne stone mason and train driver Anthony Mancini was found slumped in a public phone box on Christmas Eve.
Despite heroic efforts from passers-by and paramedics to revive him, he died later in hospital.
Now his sister Claire Cuddington and the rest of his family are making a trip to lay flowers and hand out specially prepared bags to the homeless.
Claire said: “I am returning to Ramsgate on Monday to stay overnight at the last hotel my brother stayed at before the tragedy of his collapse on Christmas Eve.
“In the morning of the 24th my family will meet at Ramsgate railway station at 9.30am to lay flowers at the phone box as that was the time Anthony was found unconscious without a heartbeat.”
Anthony’s heart was restarted and he went to hospital in Margate, but he died after 10 days in a coma on January 4.
The family will then go to Wetherspoon’s on the seafront to give out gifts to the homeless.
“As a family we are still grieving intensely at the loss of our brother..."
Claire said: “We have chosen that spot because my brother visited there frequently and was there the day before his collapse."
The bags will contain gloves, socks, emergency blankets, toiletries, mince pies, chocolates and a Christmas card. Free hot chocolate will also be given out.
Claire added: “As Anthony was homeless, we feel this will be the best way of giving others in his situation a little bit of Christmas spirit and show them there are people who still care.
“I work for a large housing association company and see homeless people suffering daily, particularly at this time of year. We will also research places which provide overnight shelter and food and give these details in the bags.
“As a family we are still grieving intensely at the loss of our brother, son and uncle but it would be lovely to pay tribute to my brother again at this important first anniversary.”
Despite the tragedy, some good came from Anthony’s death. Both his kidneys were donated to patients in need.
Claire said: “It was his final act of kindness. He saved two other people. I have since had a letter from one of the recipients. They were so grateful.”
The father-of-five was born in Bexley and brought up in Sittingbourne.
He lived in Chartham, near Canterbury, for more than 20 years while working as a train driver but moved to Dover a year before his death. He was evicted from a bedsit at the start of December and became homeless.
Claire said: “He was lovely, selfless, genuine and kind. He had a lot of foreign holidays, houses and the cars but unfortunately alcohol took hold and he lost the lot.
“It was his final act of kindness. He saved two other people. I have since had a letter from one of the recipients. They were so grateful...”
“Even in more recent times he was always offering to help anyone and he was homeless.
“He loved family time and adored his children, niece and nephews.
“He was homeless and he still wanted to give to other people, including his own body when it came to it.”
Claire said she was not sure why her brother had turned to drink but believed there were some struggles with mental health because of work and personal pressures.
She said: “He never used to drink a drop. He couldn’t handle a can and would be smashed when we used to go out. From then it was little by little. He hid it very well but it got worse in the last six months.
“I’d never realised how much of a problem it is. It’s a massive problem.”
