The family of a 20-year-old British man who was found dead at the bottom of a lift in Turkey have said their holiday has become a “living nightmare” and have vowed to fight for justice.
Tyler Kerry was on his first holiday abroad when the tragic incident occurred last week.
He had been traveling through Türkiye with his grandparents, brother and girlfriend when the group arrived at an all-inclusive hotel in the popular resort town of Antalya.
Alex Price, 42, Kerry’s great-uncle, said his nephew had stayed out later than the rest of the family to watch Manchester United’s game against FK Bodø/Glimt on Thursday night.
After a search led by his brother, Mason, Tyler was found unconscious in the hotel’s lift shaft around 7am on Friday wearing only his boxers, while bloody clothing was found elsewhere in the hotel.
Tyler’s grandmother said: ‘It’s not a holiday anymore, it’s a living nightmare… My brain feels like spaghetti. I have been fighting non-stop for justice for my son.
“I’ve cried non-stop and every time I close my eyes the only thing I can see is him lying at the bottom of the lift shaft,” she told the BBC.
Police are treating the death as suspicious.
Tyler Kerry and his girlfriend Molly Underdown. Underdown paid tribute to her boyfriend on Facebook, whom she described as “the most loving, caring and fun guy I’ve ever met.” ‘Lighted up every room’
Alex Price, 42, his great-uncle, said Kerry had stayed out later than the rest of the family to watch Manchester United’s game against FK Bodø/Glimt. After a search led by his brother Mason, Mr Price was found unconscious around 7am wearing only his boxers.
Kerry was on her first holiday abroad when the tragic incident occurred. He had been traveling through Türkiye with his grandparents, brother and girlfriend when the group arrived at an all-inclusive hotel in the popular resort town of Antalya.
Now the family hopes Turkish authorities can explain why Tyler’s clothes, mobile phone and blood-stained vaporizer were found elsewhere on the hotel’s first floor.
Mr. Price said Sunday weather that the family at the time “wasn’t so sure how accidental the situation was” due to some of what they described as “suspicious details” surrounding the incident.
He said: ‘The information we have been given is quite limited. “I believe the Turkish police attended at the time of the incident and have not provided any further information.”
“The hotel has not provided any information and I believe the elevator shaft where Tyler was found was back in operation a couple of hours after the incident.”
Kerry was a worker and, according to Price, had been thinking about moving in with his girlfriend Molly Underdown.
Underdown paid tribute to her boyfriend on FaceBook, whom she described as “the most loving, caring, fun guy I’ve ever met.”
The distraught woman continued: ‘He lit up every room he walked into with his silly little raps or jokes. May my child rest in peace.’
Paying tribute to his nephew, Tyler’s uncle Alex Price offered touching words about the Manchester United-mad football fan.
“He was an energetic, exuberant young man who was just adjusting to his life,” the uncle said.
“He had a stable job, had just bought a new car and was starting to think about moving in with his girlfriend.”
Since the 20-year-old’s death, a GoFundMe has been set up to help repatriate Tyler’s body to the UK.
Tyler’s family believes he woke up early and had left his hotel room to go for a walk or get some food.
Since the 20-year-old’s death, a GoFundMe has been set up to help repatriate Tyler’s body to the UK. So far it has raised more than £5,000
The family hopes Turkish authorities can explain why his clothes, mobile phone and blood-stained vaporizer were found on the first floor of the hotel.
One theory they see as likely is that Tyler had pressed the elevator button but it passed without him being there.
His uncle said online: “We believe he fell at around 4am as just beforehand he had been messaging his relatives about how great he was having.”
the family GoFundMe had raised £5,000 by Sunday night, with more than 100 donations.
In the page description, Tyler’s uncle added that the 20-year-old was ‘a young man full of personality, kindness and compassion with his whole life ahead of him.’
It said: ‘He was completely dedicated to his family and his girlfriend Molly. “We are all absolutely devastated.”