"Extremely hard to try and put into words what Dave meant to me as a friend.
I first met Dave circa 1998/1999 in the sports hall at St. Peter’s where we were playing Basketball. I knew from that first meeting Dave was someone I wanted to be friends with. We played together for quite some years, I often picked him up from home, travelled all around Devon and we both had to calm each other down after rowing with the opposition but mainly referees.
I also have fond early memories of going out into Exeter with you and Dave, the endless parties at your houses, the nights I had to crash on the sofa, the ice cubes down my pants, Kristans cocktails, the trips to the kebab shops and of course the flower basket I decided to take for you off your neighbours window cill! You guys always looked after me and they were such great times.
Dave spent some time, along with you of course, talking me into summer camp. That for me was when my life changed. I was lost before that (aged 20) and after 1 summer at ILC I come home, full of confidence, started uni and it set me on my way.
I guess Dave was always going to be my best man after I met Heather and I’ll never get over his surprise when I asked him in your old living room at Powderham Crescent. “You have so many friends, why me?” he said! Quite often brothers ask each other to me their best men and that was what Dave was to me, my big brother. I knew he always had my back and I his. My respect for Dave was immeasurable.
Here are some very random memories of Dave that make me smile, laugh and cry.
The time we thought my car had been stolen in London so took the bus home (it was there all along), him convincing Andy Lombardi to sell me beer my first year at ILC because I was his mate even if I was only 20, shifting that cast iron bath at Woodah Rd, his cooking, the night in the kebab shop when we couldn’t stop laughing, that night he stuck up for you in Weatherspoons after that bloke was rude to you, Tuckers Maltings, his best man speech at my wedding, the effort he put into my stag do, him dressed as Mr T, his horrible Regret drink, Elbow concert, your trips to come stay, Sidmouth Folk Festival (did you say sausage?), watching Blazing Saddles with him, him telling me you guys were moving away, the pranks I helped him with at ILC (the coffin over a bed which he made and the hose pipe above crazy Carl’s bed at 2am), being Harriet’s godfather, there’s so much more too.
I love Dave and I’ll eternally miss him but also be so grateful for that 1 fateful meeting we had that night playing basketball because without that, I’m convinced my life now would be so different. That’s when you know you’re special, when you impact people’s lives in such a way ♥️
