Tributes have poured in for a popular bartender who died yesterday aged just 22.

Shannon Lawrence, who worked at Level nightclub, was taken ill at his family home in North Shore Road, Pembroke, late on Tuesday night. He was admitted to hospital, but his condition deteriorated and he passed away in the early hours of yesterday.

Mr. Lawrence had a history of suffering blood clots, but the cause of his death remained unclear yesterday. An autopsy is due to be performed today.

Speaking on behalf of his grieving family last night, Gina Tucker remembered a bright and loving young man, who was close to his mother Renee Lawrence after the loss of his father, Philip Lawrence, when he was six.

He also leaves a sister and two brothers.

"He was super-intelligent, and loved intellectual conversation. He really, really loved numbers, like his mother, and he also loved to play poker," explained Dr. Tucker, a friend of the family.

"I think he had a special place for his mother - he would take her out. She wants to thank everyone for their support and their calls, especially the people from Level. She didn't know he had so many friends. He was always very quiet and private, and that was another world."

Mr. Lawrence attended the Montessori Preparatory School in Smith's, then Warwick Academy before winning a scholarship to Saltus where he was deputy head boy. He was a marketing student at McGill University in Canada at the time of his death.

According to Dr. Tucker, he regularly visited Victor Scott Primary School, where one of his brothers is a student, to teach the youngsters chess. They, along with his co-workers at Level, where he worked for 14 months, have been left deeply upset by his loss.

Jerome Overbey, one of the owners of the club said: "For me, the amount of admiration a lot of people had for him, we are definitely missing part of the family. It's like a family vibe here. It's different even now."

Laura Trott, a bartender at the club said: "It's tragic. We're also thinking this is a sick joke he is playing. He was awesome. There are a lot of memories."

Justin Madeiros worked with Mr. Lawrence from when the club opened, and said his best memory of him was his "tea-pot dance" which he would do around 4 a.m. after the club had closed.

"He's like family. We'll miss him and his sissy shots", he laughed.

Bartender Paolo Odoli said his colleague had a "pleasant demeanour".

"He was like a shy person, and working behind the bar brought him to life. He always gave people some sort of kindness," he recalled, adding: "He had a presence. In our industry where you don't get to have a life, we all formed a serious bond. We're like family here. It's not describable, the void that's going to be here."

Jai-Michael Phillips said: "Shannon taught me not to take myself too seriously behind the bar. He taught me how to enjoy the profession and to be able to take an irritating situation and laugh at it. He was warm and compassionate. He was my brother. He was all our brothers."

Another co-worker, Jon Armstrong said: "From day one, Shannon as a porter was an inspiration because he was always passionate, which is why he became a bartender. He made work a pleasure to come too. No night was complete until Shannon had his say, literally. I'm going to miss him and only hope to be half of what he was."

Karriem Sharrieff called Mr. Lawrence a "no nonsense type of guy" and said he demanded respect from people which made the club a better working environment.

Mr. Lawrence's funeral will be held at the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Roberts Avenue, Devonshire, at 3 p.m on Tuesday June 10. All are welcome.