Dean Potter, 34, was on an anniversary holiday with his girlfriend Zoe Adams and it was meant to be a ‘romantic trip’ after the couple found out Zoe was 11 weeks pregnant
A father-to-be who battled for eight years to conceive tragically died “unexpectedly” while celebrating his anniversary with his expecting partner.
Dean Potter, 34, and his fiancée Zoe Adams, 31, had travelled to Haven Caister-on-Sea holiday park in Norfolk to mark their 11-year milestone in September. The pair had recently discovered Zoe was 11 weeks along, after “struggling” to fall pregnant for eight years.
Zoe revealed that retail manager Dean, who had no known health issues, “looked perfectly fine” before she was jolted awake by a loud bang at 2am on their final evening. She discovered the Newcastle United supporter had tumbled from their caravan bed onto the floor and instantly began CPR whilst dialling for an ambulance.
However, Dean tragically passed away on September 26 before reaching hospital, reports Chronicle Live. A post-mortem examination two weeks later revealed Dean’s left ventricle had failed due to heart disease that was “unknown to him and his family”.
Zoe, a full-time carer for her mother from Norwich, Norfolk, reflected: “It was one of the most romantic trips – and we were both having such a great time.
“There was a lot to celebrate. After eight years of trying, we were finally expecting, and it was our 11th anniversary to top it all off. Dean seemed perfectly fine the entire time.”
The pair had reserved their getaway from September 23 to 26, enjoying evening meals and “romantic” seaside strolls during their break. Zoe recalled: “We went to every Haven show at night, played snooker and never missed a sunset.”
However, Zoe was shocked to find Dean collapsed on the floor the night before their scheduled return home. “We got back to the caravan pretty early, as I was tired due to early pregnancy symptoms,” she explained.
“We both dozed off around half past ten at night. Then, at about 2am, I was jolted awake by Dean falling out of bed. He had fallen out of bed before – usually, he would pick himself up. But this time there was no movement – and I turned to see his lips were blue and he was making choking apnoea sounds.”
Zoe immediately started performing CPR and dialled for an ambulance. The paramedics arrived within 10 minutes and spent two hours trying to stabilise Dean, providing him with oxygen.
“It felt like forever,” Zoe said. “I was silently waiting in the living room – but in my heart, I knew he had passed.”
The paramedics had intended to transfer Dean to hospital, but his condition deteriorated too rapidly, according to Zoe. “That’s when I was told there was nothing more that could be done,” she said.
“I walked back into the bedroom and held his left hand. I stayed by his side until all the medical interventions stopped. And I told him I loved him as his heart monitor rang flat.”
Dean passed away on September 26, 2025. A post-mortem conducted two weeks later confirmed that he had suffered from left ventricular failure due to an “undetected” heart disease.
“I can’t believe he’s gone – and we had no idea about his heart condition,” Zoe expressed. “Every day, I miss his smile, laugh and kindness. And it breaks my heart that he will never be able to meet his baby. I know Dean would have been the best dad.”
To lend a helping hand, Dean’s sister, Louise, 30, has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for his funeral, scheduled for November 17, and to cover expenses for the baby. The fundraiser has already amassed over £4,000.
“I’m so angry at the world for taking our Deano so soon,” expressed Louise, who is currently a full-time university student. “We are all praying that the baby will be safe and well. And I have true hope that Dean is protecting Zoe and the baby at all costs from above. The baby is all we have of him now.”
You can contribute to Dean’s GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/deano-potter.
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