A heartbroken family have spoken of their loss following the death of a man from a bee sting.

And they have called on people to get tested for bee sting allergies to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.

James Prescott (J.P.) Skinner died on Wednesday after being stung while tending his vegetable garden at the family home in Sandys.

He was found lying on the kitchen floor by his two daughters, Sarah, eight, and Caroline, 11. They contacted their mother Jen, who phoned for an ambulance, but Mr. Skinner passed away from the anaphylactic shock.

None of the family knew about Mr. Skinner's allergy and his sudden death has upset many in the community.

Known across the Island as 'J.P.', Mr. Skinner was a popular family man who loved boating, sports and helping others.

"Everyone liked J.P., he had so many friends and was always out helping people," said his grieving wife Jen.

"He was truly the most fun-loving, happy person. He loved his life.

"He loved music, dancing, boating and playing tennis, he loved telling jokes and making people happy."

Mr. Skinner, 41, was a loving father who decided to plant a vegetable garden to grow corn for his children.

At about 6 p.m. on Wednesday he came into the house and told his two daughters he had been stung by a bee.

Sarah said: "I didn't hear him fall. I asked for an apple juice and went into the kitchen to see if Daddy was there and he was on the floor."

Mrs. Skinner, 39, was at a nearby grocery store when her daughters called her on her cell phone.

"The girls were very brave," she said. "They told me Daddy had fallen and I could tell something was very wrong.

"When I got home he was still breathing but was in anaphylactic shock. I talked to him and told him how much we all loved him, and how much we knew he loved all of us.

"I said, 'Please don't go away'. I knew he was fighting hard not to leave us. But when I got to the hospital the doctor came into the waiting room and told me J.P. was dead. We are all devastated.

"When I got home that night the girls were asleep. I woke them up and told them, and we laid in bed all night and just cried. We have been talking about him a lot. We are having a hard time accepting the fact this has happened.

"But we also know that we will be OK."

Mrs. Skinner, a project manager for HSBC Bank of Bermuda, said she met Mr. Skinner, a commodities trader with SMN Investments, when they were both students in Boston.

The couple, who had been married for 13 years, both attended Northeastern University. Despite both growing up in Bermuda, they did not know each other before but had many mutual friends.

"There was a lot of shared history," said Mrs. Skinner. "Our parents told us we had actually been to parties together as children.

"After we met there was no looking back. We had lots of fun and were incredibly, blissfully happy. We were very much in love and adored each other."

Mrs. Skinner said: "No one knew J.P. had an allergy to bees. In hindsight we remember bites that got quite swollen and painful, but there was no reason to know he was so terribly allergic."

Just a few hours before being fatally stung, Mr. Skinner had visited his parents, Joan and David, to cut a tree down at their home.

Joan Skinner said: "He was an amazing son. He lit up a room when he walked in, and he had a great sense of humour.

"He loved his girls and we miss him badly."

She said: "Since this has happened we have heard of a test people can take to find out if they are allergic to bee stings. We hope what has happened to us will make more people aware to get their children tested, and so prevent this from happening to someone else."

David Skinner said: "What has happened is beyond belief. J.P. loved life. He was the life of the party but he also had a very high sense of responsibility."

Father-in-law David Boyd added: "I had heart surgery a few weeks ago and he took a week's vacation and came to the United States to look after me for a week. He did it graciously and we ended up having a ball."

Mr. Skinner, a former Saltus student, was one of four siblings, and leaves sisters Betsy and Cathy, and brother David.

His older sister Cathy said: "He had incredible kindness and was just so much fun to be around."

Brother David said: "J.P. was one of the coolest guys I've ever known. He was the kindest, most generous person, always willing to help anybody out.

"I was proud to say he was my brother."

Tomorrow the family are holding a party to celebrate Mr. Skinner's life at his older brother David's house at Hungry Bay from 4.30 p.m.. All friends are invited.