The heartbroken dad of a young man who died in a drowning tragedy at Loch Doon has told how he is driving his son's car so he can feel close to him.
Scott Ferries, 24, died after a kayak carrying him and a friend capsized in the water near Dalmellington, East Ayrshire on Sunday, March 27.
Mercy crews were called to the beauty spot as friends battled to save his life but he passed away at the scene.
His dad, 51-year-old James Ferries, told the Record he takes Scott's dog Roxy out in his son's white Ford Mondeo so they can feel close to him.
James said: "I drove his car for the first couple of days after Sunday because it made me feel close to him.
"I brought the dog out too, so she could smell his scent and know he was still there."
James, from Ayr, had been alerted to an 'incident' at the loch by his nephew Jordan.
The garage owner said he didn't know what he was going to find when he arrived but realised how serious the situation was when he saw emergency service crews.
James continued: "I kept thinking 'please don't be true'. When I took the call, I thought it was a bad joke.
"Scott was very athletic, very strong. It didn't sound possible.
"On my way to Loch Doon I passed all the fire engines and the police cars, I realised it was really serious.
"I was praying for it not to be real. I was praying he would have a pulse."
James brought Scott's black Staffie Roxy who he 'lived for' down to the scene with him.
"When we went down on Sunday, she was in his car and she trekked the full road because she knew that he was down there," he said.
"She wanted him but couldn't get to him. He devoted his life to her."
James told how heroic friends and paramedics tried to resuscitate his son for almost an hour.
Despite their best efforts, Scott died at the scene leaving James 'absolutely devastated.'
He added: "In my mind, Scott and his pal were laughing and carrying so I've convinced myself that he died happy.
"He loved being outdoors. He died enjoying what he was doing."
Scott, the youngest of five children, had been working with his dad in their family garage in Ayr.
Car enthusiast Scott had started tinkering with cars aged 10 with his dad, and the hobby became his passion.
Proud dad James said: “We used to argue daily at work and I’d tell him ‘I’m the boss’ and he’d say ‘No, I’m the boss.’
“It was just the way Scott was. He was great for banter, a really loveable chappie."
"He had a wind-up attitude but everyone knew how to take him."
James plans to hold a memorial for Scott at Loch Doon on Friday, March 1, the day of his post-mortem.
He concluded: "Scott was one in a million.
“He was a lovely boy, liked by a lot more people that I ever even imagined.
“I mean the support and help that we’ve been offered from friends has absolutely dumbfounded me.
“I will never be able to thank them all enough, for everything that they have done and that they’re doing just now.”
Thirty of Scott's friends have also planned to meet with their cars and rev their engines in his honour once he is laid to rest.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said at the time: "Officers received reports of two men in difficulty in the water at Loch Doon, Dalmellington, around 1.15pm on Sunday, March 27.
"One man died at the scene. The other man was checked over by paramedics but did not require further medical treatment.
"A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal but there do not appear to be any suspicious circumstances."
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