PAUL HARRIS thought his family had beaten tragedy.

Three years ago Paul's daughter Katie nearly died from a rare heart condition.

But she defied medical experts when she successfully pulled through a heart transplant at the age of just 15.

The family believed their nightmare was over but yesterday they buried Katie's younger brother, John, who died just weeks after his 15th birthday.

He had been suffering from the same heart condition as Katie and lost his battle for life at the hospital that saved her.

Katie's fight back to health, against all the odds, gave the family great hope when John was diagnosed.

His prognosis also seemed brighter as the condition had been caught early.

So his death has come as a bitter blow.

No other members of the family, including mum Joyce, 57, or elder brother Adam, 23, have shown any symptoms of the condition.

Paul, 60, of Anglesey Avenue, Hailsham, said last night: "How much can one family take? "We went through it with Katie and then we had to do it all again with John but we never thought for a minute that it would all end so tragically.

"He didn't deserve to die."

John was waiting for a transplant in Harefield Hospital, north London, when he suddenly died from the effects of his swollen heart.

Paul said: "It all started in January last year when John came home from school complaining of a bad cough.

"We took him to the GP, he ordered some x-rays and he ended up back at Harefield where they diagnosed the swollen heart. We were stunned."

Over the following months John underwent regular checks with doctors and was told to slow down his pace of life.

But he managed to continue work for his GCSEs at school, attended weekly Scout meetings and took part in his favourite sports of swimming and basketball.

All seemed to be going well until three weeks ago when John took a sudden turn for the worse.

On Friday, April 2, Paul was called to pick his son up from Heathfield Community College after a panic attack over a biology assignment.

The stress took its toll and John's health went steadily down hill until his death exactly a week later.

Paul said: "I was with him in hospital on the Friday when they rushed him into intensive care.

"I spoke to him and said: 'don't worry, it's just a blip - we'll get over it together'.

"He didn't say anything he just looked at me. A few minutes later he died."

Neither Paul or Joyce has any knowledge of a history of heart disease in their family and since Katie, now 17, has recovered she has gone on to become a triple gold medal winner in the Transplant Games and has been recognised as a child of courage.

Yesterday hundreds of John's school friends, teachers, Scout leaders and relatives attended a funeral service at Hellingly Church, near Hailsham.

His older brother, Adam, helped bear his coffin as one of John's favourite songs, I'll be Missing You, sung by Puff Daddy, played to the packed service.

Paul said: "We are just pleased that he managed to make so many friends while he was alive. John was the kind of lad who would endear himself to anybody.

"He had a wonderful relaxed manner and a sense of humour that put people at ease and made them smile."

Outside the Harris's home is John's pride and joy, a 1974 Ford Escort which he was restoring from its rusted state.

The bright green car stands as a tribute to a young man full of ambition and life and is now cherished by his loving family.

Paul said: "John spent hours on that car. I remember him stripping the engine and rebuilding it outside the house.

"He never quite did get it started but he wouldn't give up. He was like that."

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