Family of tragic dad who died helping unconscious woman make one final heartbreaking plea

A father-of-two who died after being hit by a car while trying to help a stranger would “go to help rather than to turn away”, his family has said. Chris Marriott, 46, died after he went to the aid of a woman he spotted lying unconscious in the street in Sheffield on Wednesday.

But he was hit by a vehicle which ploughed into a crowd during a disturbance. On Friday, his family said in a statement: “Chris was a wonderful husband, dad, brother, uncle – and friend to many.”

They said that Mr Marriott devoted his life to helping others, including at a foodbank in Sheffield and working for a debt advice charity. The statement added: “The circumstances of his death, although tragic and unfathomable to us, his family, show the sort of man he was – to go to help rather than to turn away.

“Chris was also a man of faith who wanted others to also experience the joy he had found trusting in Jesus. We take comfort in these most difficult of times in our belief that he is with his Lord and Saviour, while we mourn his loss.

“We would urge anyone with any information to share this so that we can understand better the circumstances in which he died.”

South Yorkshire Police said a 23-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder remains in custody, but a 55 year-old man arrested on suspicion of the same offences has been released on bail. The woman Mr Marriott was helping remains in hospital in a life-threatening condition, officers said.

Mr Marriott, who was described as a “Good Samaritan” by police, worked as IT manager for the charity Community Money Advice (CMA).

He was also heavily involved with City Church, in Sheffield, as well as the Jubilee Foodbank, Voluntary Action Sheffield, and was a trustee of MASKK (Manor and Castle After School and Kids Klubs), in the city.

Heather Keates, the founder and chief executive of CMA, said: “He wanted to give people hope and, therefore, he was prepared to go the extra mile for people.

“His generosity, his care for people, his compassion for people, this was the root of who he was. He was a caring and compassionate man.” Ms Keates said: “He wanted to make a difference in his community and he made a big difference.”

Ms Keates said Mr Marriott was “completely irreplaceable” to the charity, which runs 180 face-to-face advice centres. He had worked as its IT manager since 2021 but had previously run one of the charity’s advice centres in Sheffield.

Ms Keates said: “He understood it from the IT side and he understood it from the clients’ side too.” Mr Marriott’s brother-in-law Luke Tonge said on Facebook: “Our Chris was a kind man who loved his family and truly lived to help others – and our hearts are broken.

“Please pray for my sister and their boys, and the family & friends who are grieving such an incalculable loss.” The church group ChristCentral, which includes City Church, said in a statement that everyone was “deeply shocked” by Mr Marriott’s death.

It said: “Chris died doing what so many will remember him for, helping others.” And it added: “This is an unbelievably awful situation and we are heartbroken for the family.”

Police said Mr Marriott was out for a post-Christmas walk with his wife and two young sons, aged eight and six, when he went to the aid of the woman just after 2pm on Wednesday on College Close, in the Burngreave area of Sheffield.

It is believed the injured woman had been involved in an altercation and several other people suffered injuries during the incident, including an off-duty midwife who had also stopped to help.

As Mr Marriott was providing first aid to the woman, a car collided with them both and others, police said.

Flowers were left at the scene on Friday. One woman laying flowers, who said she knew Mr Marriott from church, said: “He really was pure gold in every way and the world is worse without him.”

Neighbours said the altercation was a dispute between two families relating to a wedding, which happened earlier on Wednesday and was celebrated at a house in College Court.

At least one man was reported to have been stabbed in the disturbance. A police spokesman said the off-duty midwife suffered minor injuries, another man received serious injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening and four further people, three women and a man, suffered minor injuries.

Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Knowles said: “This is an utterly heartbreaking case in which a Good Samaritan, who had stepped in to help a stranger in their time of need, has lost his life.”

Mr Knowles said: “We are absolutely determined to secure justice for Chris and his loved ones following this horrific tragedy.”

Burngreave residents said the incident happened outside a house at the junction of College Close and College Court, two quiet cul-de-sacs of modern houses near Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital.

Neighbours have described how they came out of their homes to see a group fighting in the street before the car pinned at least two people to the floor.

Police had to move the car to release those underneath, they said.