Mother and father of Arron Payne tell of dedicated son who lost twin brother to cancer

The family of a Wembley man who was stabbed in the street and died in hospital just minutes after he was discharged, have paid tribute to “a wonderful son”.

Arron Payne, 26, of Rawlings Crescent, Chalkhill, collapsed in the toilets of St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington on Thursday as he was making his way home after eight days of treatment for a stab wound.

Arron – who went to Chalkhill Primary School in Barnhill Road, Wembley, and Claremont High School in Claremont Avenue, Kenton – was stabbed as he walked along Chalkhill Road at about 7pm on Wednesday, September 5.

The Chelsea football fan – who lost his twin brother to cancer aged 13 – was on his way to get money to buy his father a birthday present.

Monica Campbell, 51, Arron’s mother, said: “I was coming home and I saw the road blocked off. At that point I got a call and I parked up, answered it and was told it was Arron.”

After calling Arron’s father, Keith Payne, Ms Campbell went to the scene and was allowed to ride in the ambulance with Arron, who was talking.

Over the next few days, he received treatment and was chatting.

Ms Campbell said: “There was one day when he was sitting on a chair and he said to me ‘mum I would not have wished this on anyone, not even the man who stabbed me’.”

Eight days after going into hospital, Arron was told he was being discharged and his father arrived to take him home.

Keith, 53, said: “We were in the hospital lift and he was complaining about how it kept stopping and starting.

“Then when we got out he said he needed the toilet so I took him in there and he sat down and I could see he was sweating on his forehead.

“When he sat down he let out two sighs and his head went to the side and that was it.”

Mr Payne screamed for help and doctors arrived and tried in vain to resuscitate Arron. A post-mortem gave the cause of death as haemorrhaging as a result of a stab wound.

Ms Campbell said: “He was just such a joker and a really polite boy. After his brother died he suffered a bit as he could not understand how someone so good could be taken away.

“He got into fights at school and I remember when he was 16 he told me he had had enough and was going to change.”

Arron worked at a nearby Comet store, and was devoted to his girlfriend Hanna, whom he met at a New Year’s Eve party in 2009.

He was happiest when at home with his family. Mr Payne said: “He was a wonderful son and everybody loved him.”

Ms Campbell said: “I still feel that I am dreaming and I just want to wake up. I can’t believe my 26-year-old baby has gone. It’s unreal.”