THE wife of a father-of-seven from Blaenau Ffestiniog who died following a short illness has paid tribute to him.

On 7 September, 37-year-old Alex Dukes Hood lost his short battle with Neuroendocrine cancer which saw him pass away just days before his three-year-old’s birthday.

There was only a matter of weeks between Alex’s diagnosis and his death, causing shock waves through the closely-knit Blaenau Ffestiniog community.

Alex’s wife Trisha Dukes Hood has been left devastated by her “rock’s” sudden passing.

“He was everything to me,” a brave Trisha told the Cambrian News.

“Just so kind and loving and such a brilliant dad. Children were his world – he loved Joseph, Oliver, Finlay, Theo, Jordan, Connor and Akira so much.

“The little one has started asking where daddy is – we’ve told him he’s a big star in the sky now. He’s just too young to understand, it’s painful.”

Theo was born to Trisha and Alex but the other six children come from the couple’s previous relationships.

It was not just family which mattered to Alex however.

“Even in his work he was so important to people,” Trisha said.

“As a taxi driver there were some children who wouldn’t go to school unless Alex took them and I’ve been told countless tales of him carrying people’s shopping in or helping out in small but important ways.

“He had such a kind heart.”

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News, in shops now, or available by clicking the digital editions link above