** Rhodri was killed on 28th January 2006 aged 17 The following is by Ceri and Anna in memory of their loving brother Our little brother Rhods went out this Saturday night as he always did at 8pm to enjoy himself and to meet up with friends. Rhods was a front seat passenger and was wearing a seat belt. At 11.40pm Mum and Dad were told the devastating news that Rhods had been killed at 9.30pm. 9 miles down the road in a 40mph zone. It is impossible to begin to describe the devastation and loss brought to our family by this unbelievable crash. As you can try to imagine, the death of such a well loved popular son, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend carries such a huge void in many lives of everybody who came to contact with Rhods. Effects of this unnecessary tragedy are difficult to fully explain. As Rhods’ sisters we have lost a fantastic little brother, friend and have witness the complete emotional breakdown of both parents once a very strong unit but now shells of their former selves. It is not possible to rebuild this desperately shattered mental anchor they once showed, and we once had. The most painful feeling a person can suffer is a loss of a child, and the fact that this loss is due to the actions of another accentuates this pain. At a point in Rhods’ life where the future held countless possibilities for such an intelligent, confident, caring and sensitive young man. These opportunities were all taken away with one irresponsible act. Rhods would have been 18 on 23rd August 2006 and his cousin Elgan wrote this poem in his memory: Now is the time to celebrate, the day that should have been The arrangements had been put in place, for a boy no longer seen The day you looked so forward to, the day we should enjoy Was stolen in an instance, shattered, broken like a toy For now it is so empty, with feelings filled with grief As you, our boy, is missing, we cannot find relief From knowing what it could have been, a day of fun and cheer The days we are now faced with shed a different tear 18 today! Is what we’d say, if we had had the choice But we cannot, the option’s gone, for you to hear our voice The times we laughed, the times we shared, will stay with us forever You were the man, you should have been and we would have no other You are in our thoughts and prayers, in every passing day We still cannot believe the truth, that you have gone away Up in the sky, amongst the clouds, sitting with the Gods Our son, our friend, our little bro, the one, the only Rhods. Your broken-hearted, Dad, Mam, Anna, Ceri and all the family.