Kirit Patel had been travelling to the UK to spend the summer with his family.
His wife had died in 2021 and Umang said his father enjoyed his visits to Pensford.
“He grew up in a rural part of India and when he visited us [in Pensford] he felt the same welcoming and the same nature of the village,” said Umang.
“In front of the Post Office there’s a bench where dad used to love sitting and seeing the world pass by and [he would] give little treats to the customers’ dogs,” he said.
“There are particular dogs that still look out for Dad.”
Umang’s wife Vaishali said the shock of losing Kirit was something the family was still coming to terms with.
She said the community in Pensford had been a source of support.
“Dad wasn’t ill or anything – he was coming to us and you never expect anything like this to happen,” said Vaishali.
“It’s still hard to believe that we’ve lost him in that way.
“There’s like a whole other family here for us and they have always made sure we are OK – even if we are low some days, they make sure we’re OK.”
Umang’s sister Bhavika is currently visiting from India with her daughter.
