David and I met when I was 16. He was swinging from the scaffolding outside the bus station. He wasn't like the other boys I'd previously met. He was a bit mad, a bit crazy. He didn't care what people thought of him.

 We had a joint love for 'Hawk the Slayer'. My Dad had it on Laser Disc and I invited him (and Micheal his best friend at the time) round one Saturday night to watch it. On the way to the chippy we held hands (behind Micheal's back) and so our love life began.

 

I was dead impressed because he could drive (a big plus when you're 16) and he had a job which meant he had wages. Wow! Just think, money, a job and he could drive (his Dad had a brown Cortina). What more could a sweet sixteen year old ask for? and his Mum and Dad lived in a bungalow! They were rich (to me anyway) Not just a house, a bungalow. I'd never seen a bungalow in real life until I went to David's.

 

He got on so well with my family. Everybody liked him, especially my Dad. They would talk for hours about sport. He was a fantastic help to my Mum especially when Dad was dying. 6 nights a week for months he would drive me and Mam to the hospital. I never once heard him moan or complain.

 We fell madly and deeply in love, forsaking all others. We wrote love letters to each other (well I wrote them to him) and we talked very soon about spending our lives together.

 After a few weeks we'd planned our future life together - Much to the amazement of our families. In the usual David style, he proposed to me walking across Little Lever High School's playground with "Do you want an engagement ring for your 18th birthday or what?" Thinking about it in retrospect, I should have said get me one for Valentines day the following week. That way I would have got a birthday present too! We were mad about each other and probably drove everyone else mad with our lovie-dovi-ness and romance. We didn't need anyone else. Our love would see us through.

 

 Plans for the wedding were made in earnest over and over and before we knew it was our wedding day. David never danced in those days so it was a great feat to get him on his feet. But before he did that he had to change his socks from the black ones that were hired to the cool white ones that were in fashion at that time.

 

 The venue we chose for our wedding do was brilliant. It had 2 snooker tables! Even Dad would be pleased! Just think, marrying your girlfriend and playing snooker on the same day! Dave and his mates were made up. The only disappointment for David is that we couldn't bring along a Space Invader machine or Pac Man. We later bought 2 full size Space Invaders and used to challenge each other every night. When anyone came to visit us they thought David had it made. In our large lounge we had a full size table tennis table, 100 foot scalectric, and a bar. In the back room we had a full size pool table, 2 full size Space Invader and a 1942 game and a TV showing Sky Sports whilst you played. His boys toys made him happy so it made me happy.

 

 He had one of the first 'No Fear' T-Shirts emblazoned "He who has the most toys never dies." That was David in a nutshell. Peter Pan and I was his Wendy. We had many parties. Many will remember the 'tray' competitions we held - David raced around the house looking for something to slide down the stairs on. He found a tray in the kitchen and he used that to career down the staircase. I'll always remember the looks we got one snowy evening about 15 years ago. Taking the opportunity to practice skiing David hoisted the skis out of the roof and we merrily careered up and down Aintree Road whilst we could. Those were the days.

 He was always an adventurer. He used to swim for 2 swimming clubs (Radcliffe and Swinton Swimming Clubs). His Mum and Dad were dedicated to helping him pursue his love of sport. They would spend many a day driving him back and forth faithfully to and from swimming venues and competitions. His Dad proudly had all his medals displayed for all to see, as well as his trophies and certificates. He also played water polo. He played with men much bigger than him but he was nifty and swift in the water. He could do every stroke and swam with a beautiful and gliding style. He would train 5 Days a week, doing 70 laps as a warm up and then another 100 to train, 5 days a week, for about 8 years. That's dedication for you.

 

 He was also an avid diver; his Mum and Dad spent many a cold and wet Sunday morning watching him dive into freezing lakes and lodges (that's dedication for you, from both his Mum and Dad and David.) He undertook his PADI training and qualified as a diver in Barbados in 2000 whilst on a family holiday. He dived all over the world. On this holiday with everyone (including baby Daniel, aged 6 months), he and Andy had a 'diving off something' competition. David (as always) jumped off the highest point (the roof of the restaurant hut), only to smash his mouth on the bottom of the pool. Blood gushing from his wound we rushed to the nearest hospital. But it didn't stop the fun. That night David was busy knocking back Tequila with the rest of us!

 

 We had a wonderful life together. We did more in 20 years together than most people do in 10 lifetimes. We traveled all over the world together. One of our favorite spots was Florida. First going to Florida together in 1987 and we returned nearly every year afterwards. In 2004 we achieved our lifetimes ambition to buy a house there. We had it custom built and it was ready in 2006. Perfect! Daniel and I travel there many times a year and always think of David when we're there.

 

 We also used to ski each year. For 12 years we skied in Mammoth Mountain, California (since 1992, it was unknown to travel so far to ski in those days). David would bomb down the hillside at top speed. He was fearless! He even had 'No Fear' tattooed on his shoulder to prove his fearless ambition. We have also skied in Canada and Europe. Later we even took our son, Daniel along with us. In 2002, two weeks after Daniel's second birthday, we were all on the slopes of Mammoth Mountain with Frank, Sylvia and Margaret. Dan skied just like his Dad. Straight down the slope, whereas I weaved in and out, taking my time, keeping safe. David always had the inspiration to go on holiday and I made them happen (I'm good at booking holidays on the cheap!).

 

 When we visited Australia in 1995 and 1996 David fulfilled another dream to go skydiving. His video of the jump shows absolute ecstacy on his face. No element of fear - just a rush of adrenaline. He'd previously done bungee jumping too. We also went on a bush tour in the outback, and went diving in the Great Barrier Reef and sailing. We visited 3 Hawaiian islands on 2 different trips. David also fulfilled another wish to surf the big waves in Maui and on North Beach Oahu. We flew over active volcanoes and swam in extinct volcanoes. We have been lucky to have travelled to Brazil, Mexico, many Caribbean islands, all over Europe and the USA, as well as Bali, Singapore, Phuket, Bankok and Hong Kong. There are few places that we haven't visited.

 

 David loved to walk and rock climb. At the time I worked with a lad who was looking for a partner to climb with. I introduced Chris to David and they hit it off straight away. He used to train twice a week with Chris, at indoor climbing walls. At weekends he and Chris would head off to scale outdoor pursuits as well as walking the 3 peaks. He undertook the 3 Peak Challenge twice, climbing the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales in less than 24 hours.

 

 His biggest accomplishment was climbing Mont Blanc in August 2001. With his friends he hired a guide and prepared for the experience before setting off up the largest Mountain in Europe. His ambition was to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California - something he never had chance to do. He inspired many of his friends to join him and I can still recall the tales he told me of Jon and Andy 'rock hugging' in sheer terror of the steepness of the rock faces.

 

 When I started to become ill in 1991 David laughed it off. He never took anything serious. He was so laid back I used to say he was flat on the ground. Even when he became ill himself, he didn't bother. He kept it to himself. He was selfless. He never moaned or complained. I don't ever remember him saying 'Why me?'.

 In the previous 20 years prior to this he had never had a day off work. He loved his job. He saw it as a challenge. He worked long hours to complete all the jobs set for him (many times to my dismay). He had pride in everything he did. He wouldn't settle for second best and worked hard to achieve all that he could do. David had a heart of gold. He would do anything for anybody. He never once criticised or complained about anybody. I used to wish I could be more like him. He used to see the best in everybody and everything. He didn't let anything get him down or upset him. He was so laid back it used to drive me crackers!

 

 He was a great Dad to Daniel. We tried long and hard to get a baby (excuse the pun). But life wasn't kind to us. After 2 years of trying I eventually fell pregnant only to loose the baby a month later. I could never understand why God gave us a chance to be parents and then took it away. David was extremely upset by this. It broke his heart. But he was strong. My shoulder to cry on. My hope for the future.  Sadly this happened another 3 times over the next 5 years. Each time the pain increased, the hurt widened. We had just about given up on having our own family when, by chance, I fell pregnant with our wonderful son, Daniel. But as life would have it, in the same way, Daniel was born 7 weeks early.

 

 He was tiny but perfectly formed. David cried with joy when he first held him in his hands. He was so proud to be his father. David's thumb nail was the size of Daniel's palm. He knew instinctively how to be a good dad. He got up in the middle of the night and fed Daniel. He sang lullabies to make him sleep. He changed the dirty nappies and proudly took him places. He was a great and loving Dad.

 

 Daniel loves his Dad and will always remember the great times they spent together, playing football and tig, bowling, ice skating, climbing, walking. David shone when he was with Daniel. Daniel was a real Daddy's boy.

 

 It is said that God only takes the best. We will never come to terms with David's death. He was the best man anyone could ever meet or love. He will be missed forever. Life will not be the same without him.

 

 I can see him now in heaven laughing at us all. He'll be climbing the clouds and bungee jumping from the Pearly Gates. He made a difference in all our lives. He will never be replaced or forgotten.

 

 David and I were together for 20 years. In that time we experienced so much. We lived life to the full. We did so much together and loved each other greatly. Those memories will never fade, change or be replaced.

 

 Wherever you are David. I know you will be happy. You were one of the best. I still love you and always will.

 

 God bless

 

XXXXX Carol XXXXXXXX