TRIBUTES have been paid to a father-of-two who died hours after his first night out since being paralysed in a car accident.
Michael Anthony Bellas died at home in Spennymoor, County Durham, early on Sunday morning.
The 26-year-old had just returned to his family home in Kirkdale after attending the Cube nightclub, in Spennymoor, when he took ill.
An ambulance was called but he died at home surrounded by family and best friend Mark Helliwell. Last night they all described Mr Bellas as strong and charismatic.
Saturday had been Mr Bellas’ first full night out since last June, when he crashed his car and was left tetraplegic.
His mother, Sandra Jones, said: “It was touch and go after the accident but he was a fighter, he was strong and his attitude was of determination.
“He started to appreciate simple things in life and got closer to his family.”
Mr Bellas went to North Road Primary and Tudhoe Grange Schools before training as a joiner and later working at the town’s Electrolux factory.
Mrs Jones said he had a reputation as a joker and always wanted to make people smile.
Sister Stacey Bellas, 24, said: “He really enjoyed his night out, lots of us went with him because he was nervous about being looked at in a wheelchair. But he saw lots of old friends and had a great time.
“He was very active and sociable before the accident so I am just pleased he got a good night out before he went.”
Sister Becky Simpson, 17, added: “He was loving it, he was having a laugh and even had a dance shuffling in his chair.”
Mr Bellas was a doting father to daughters Jade, seven, and two-year-old Karmen.
He was also close to his sister, Becky Simpson, brothers, Tyler Jones and Josh Bellas, and his grandparents.
His father, Clive Bellas, of Newton Aycliffe, said medical and home care staff, particularly at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, had been incredibly supportive over the past 12 months.
Friends and family had started to raise money for Mr Bellas to undergo stem cell treatment in a bid to aid his recovery and for home alterations.
Mrs Jones said: “He was hoping for a miracle, he was very proud and grateful of the support people gave him so we’ll use the money to give him a good send-off which he would have wanted.”
Mr Bellas’ funeral will be at St Paul’s Church, Spennymoor, at 12.10pm, on Monday.
An inquest into his death was opened yesterday and the post-mortem examination has so far been inconclusive.
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