A close friend of Chrissy Rouse has described the late motorcycle racer as "kind and gentle" following his death aged 26.
Burnopfield rider Chrissy crashed on the opening lap of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship Race at Donington Park on Sunday October 2. He passed away surrounded by family at Queens Medical Centre/University Hospital in Nottingham on Thursday October 6.
Zoe Burn, who became friends from Chrissy after managing his PR for several years and watch him progress into a British superbike racer, is devastated by the death of her friend.
Zoe first met Chris when working for the Sunday Sun after his dad, Martin, had called up to say his son would be racing with Valentino Rossi, regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle riders of all time. Zoe recalls a "cute little kid with loads of curly hair" who looked like Rossi himself.
She continued following Chrissy's budding racing career, and was asked by his family to do his press in the 2012/13 season. She said: "I started working with him when was 16 or 17 in the first year of his A-levels.
"As he grew up, we just became friends. I'm only a few years younger than his parents, but Chrissy and I became firm friends and he's been a huge part of my life for the last ten years of my life.
"Whenever it comes to motor racing, bike racing, Chrissy is always there."
Chrissy's success continued to build in recent years, to the point where he became a British superbike rider, the highest national level of motorcycle racing. Zoe added: "It was always quite hard for me to get my head round, he's a star at the top level but to me he's still the same Chrissy I met when he was 12 years old, racing a little Aprilia round circuits up here."
Working with Chrissy from such a young age meant that Zoe spent a lot of time with Chrissy's family too, and she considers them almost as her own. She continued: "We meet people in life who you think if I lost everything tomorrow, I could turn up at their house and they'd give you dinner, give you a bed, and drop you off at the job centre.
"The Rouses were very much like that to me and we've just become family over the last ten years. We were very, very close and such good friends away from racing. He was such a character and from a really lovely family."
In June this year, he took Zoe on her first motorcycle ride as pillion - on the circuit of the Isle of Man TT course. Zoe continued: "It was incredible, I wouldn't get on the back of a motorbike with many motorcycle racers.
"But I know Chrissy so well that he's the only person I'd ever trust to get on a motorbike but he talked me through what to do. In some ways it was quite scary because I'd never been on the road on a proper motorbike but it was incredible.
"The funniest thing was we got back and I said, how did that feel doing the TT course with me on the back as pillion? And he responded, "Well Zoe, I've never done a lap of the TT course before today and to be quite honest I've never had a pillion either!
"And it was just amazing you know. That's what he was like, he was such a character, everybody loved him because he was such a nice lad."
Chrissy was clearly much-loved and as well as Zoe, many of his peers and fans have left tributes. His old school, Emmanuel College, where he worked as a Maths teacher, led the tributes on Twitter.
They posted: "We are very deeply saddened by the death of former student, staff member and friend, Chrissy Rouse. Someone who exemplified the spirit of Emmanuel College. A person of excellence who lived with humility and demonstrated remarkable love for others."
Peter Hickman, British superbike rider, also took to Twitter to say: "Gutted. It was a pleasure to know you and share a track with you champ. RIP . "
Keith Farmer, four-time Supersport and Superstock champion paid tribute to Chrissy on Instagram, saying: "Absolutely gutted to hear the passing of Chrissy Rouse. Was privileged to share a track with you mate. Love to all your family and friends. RIP mate."
Read next
