Man Says 'I'll See You Soon,' Dies a Few Hours Apart from His Twin Brother 84 Miles Away

A man's family witnessed a bizarre occurrence just before he passed away some days ago. According to reports, in the moments before the man's demise, he was fixated on a particular spot on the ceiling as though he could see something others could not.

Twins have always been thought to be unique. Sometimes they look very much alike and may have uncanny similarities in their personalities; other times, the reverse is the case.

A few days ago, netizens were stunned by the story of 70-year-old twins passing away with a time difference of merely three hours. They had different ailments, but the other followed as soon as one lost his life.

Death is a natural phenomenon, but humans are generally afraid of the concept; nonetheless, in the case of these twin brothers, one seemed expectant and was even smiling moments away from passing on.

THE INSEPARABLE TWINS

Alan and Geoff Bates were twins who had spent most of their lives together. They grew up in Sheffield together; according to those around them, they had always been as thick as thieves.

As children, they looked completely identical and would often get up to mischief, thanks to their uncanny resemblance. At some point, their parents had to come up with a way their teachers at school could tell them apart, and that was sewing their names on their school jumpers.

While alive, Geoff worked as an electrician and a computer engineer, while Alan made a living as a joiner. He also once taught City and Guild courses.

Alan and his four kids resided in Sheffield until 2018 before moving to Tenerife after retiring, but Geoff had moved to Rotherham with his two children much earlier. Despite that, the brothers made sure to spend Christmas and New Year together.

If they happened to be in different countries, they would check in regularly via video call. Then, Alan returned to the UK after he was diagnosed with throat cancer.

Alan and Geoff kept their mischievous sides alive even as adults, but even though they could fool people by pretending to be each other, their kids always saw through the tricks.

The brothers were close to their family, but their bond surpassed those they shared with other relatives.

Katie Sellers, Geoff's daughter and a Rotherham native, said the two brothers used to go camping with her and her siblings in tow, and they would have a lot of fun.

After Alan returned to the UK with his diagnosis, Geoff experienced a mini-stroke that left him stranded in the hospital under supervision until June 13, when he passed away.

TOGETHER IN DEATH

Twins Alan and Geoff Bates passed away three hours apart in different cities separated by about 84 miles. Shelley Bates, Alan's daughter, admitted that she was aware her father did not have a lot of time left after he was diagnosed. Shelley, 40, said:

"It was just really surreal. Me and my brother, Andrew Bates, had to travel from Sheffield to Coventry to go and see him.

She didn't expect a call telling her that her uncle Geoff had given up the ghost due to multiple organ failures, but as she was headed to her father to say her farewell, Shelley received such a call. It was shocking news, but Shelley was in for more shock.

When she arrived at her father's bedside, she noticed that he was talking to someone who seemed to be Geoff. Shelley claimed that her aunty told her it was as though Alan had been communicating with Geoff because he kept repeating, "I'm on my way. I'll see you soon."

Shelley also said that Alan had been fixated on one spot in the corner of the ceiling and had been laughing at something only he could see.

Katie said that losing her uncle and father on the same day was "devastating," but there was also some comfort to be had because the two boys who entered the world together as twins departed the same way. Katie expressed happiness in knowing that they would be together side by side in the next part of their journey.

THE FUNERAL

The deaths of the twin brothers were honored with a joint funeral on July 19. According to Katie, they were given emotional goodbyes, and the family ensured that everything was planned in double for the twins' burial so they could be laid to rest side by side.

Katie said that they had the cars that brought the bodies of both brothers to the crematorium parked with their back doors facing each other. She also revealed that they brought the late brothers out simultaneously and had them ushered in side by side. She explained:

“It was a lovely tribute, and they had matching flowers on their coffins. It was a lovely farewell."

The twins have passed on, but the love they shared and the memories they made while alive will continue to live in the hearts of their family and those whose lives they touched.

Questions to ponder:

• Are ghosts real?

Geoff died three hours before his brother followed, but Alan's child says she heard him assuring someone that he was coming. Another family member also said she saw him laughing with his focus on a particular spot on the ceiling. Could Alan have been seeing Geoff, and why had he seemed in such a hurry?

• Did the death of one brother quicken the passing of the other?

Alan did not have much time because of his worsening health condition; however, would he have lasted longer if his brother had not died that day? Some may say they were destined to pass away on the same day, but what would have happened if one had been healthy while the other was sick? There are no easy answers to the questions; however, one thing is sure: the twins defied the chasm of death by communicating with one other from different planes of existence.