A mother of an 18-year-old man, who died after being placed in an induced coma, has paid tribute to her son calling him ‘amazing’ with an ‘aptitude for academia’. The second-year sixth-form student had secured a place at Warwick University studying Advanced Maths while in intensive care and is said to have been able to teach anyone anything mathematical.
Joe Parker suffered an adverse reaction to medication and had become unconscious on February 17. After paramedics stabilised him he was taken by ambulance to Southmead Hospital where he sustained complications. Tragically, he lost his fight on April 16, in Southmead Intensive Care Unit, reports Gloucestershire Live.
His family and fellow pupils at Katharine Lady Berkeley School say they will forever remember Joe as the brilliant lad he was. Joe is the eldest son of Barney Parker, 47 and Sarah Wilmott, 47 who are from Charfield. Joe also has a younger brother Cameron who is 15-years-old.
Read more: Elderly woman bedridden for 26 years due to ME hits out at those who call those affected lazy
Miss Wilmott said: “Joe was amazing. Joe was my bright beautiful shining light. Just being with him made me happy.
"He made me proud every day. Whether it was from some big academic achievement to a badly drawn mother's Day card with an equation to work out that equals I love you. He would impress me with his new cheeky scheme to make some money, to being there for me, even if I just needed a cuddle."
Mum remembers how Joe was a determined soul from the off. He was driven to be the best at everything he would turn his hand to.
Miss Wilmott said: “From a pretty young age Joe had an aptitude for academia. He loved a score, and always wanted to be the top of the class.
“By the time he was halfway through junior school, Charfield Primary, he was better at maths than his teachers, and they were struggling to find things what would challenge him.
“He went on to Katharine Lady Berkeley school where he got straight-A*in his GCSEs and was studying maths, further maths, physics and chemistry at A-level which he was predicted to achieve A* grades.
“Joe had then been planning to study for a Masters degree in advanced maths at Warwick University. He had been accepted on to the course at Warwick a few weeks after being admitted to hospital.
“Joe would have been the first person in our family history to go to university, of which he was extremely proud. Yet he would always be the one who used to help people with their work.
“His teachers were very impressed with the fact that he had the ability to explain anything to anyone who might be struggling. He was even paid to tutor a friend from Charfield as well over the years.”
Joe is remembered as a lad who would get on with anyone. As a result, he had an incredibly large friendship group.
Miss Wilmott said: “When he was younger he didn't really have a specific group of friends but did tend to get on with everyone. When he went to KLB he met new people, and here he found some really close friends.
“Rather than limiting himself to just those few people, his circle of friends grew to hundreds. As he was taller he made friends with people much older than himself, and being so kind and friendly he made friends with people much younger than himself.”
Joe liked to be out with his friends. Yet he equally loved playing games online and would get quite loud with it.
Miss Wilmott said: “We could often hear him shouting with excitement at what we thought was online gaming. However when you listened closely, what he was actually doing was talking about physics, or complex maths, and even helping people with their homework.”
When Joe had reached sixth form, he signed up to be a mentor helping children at the school who were facing challenges. Due to his nature those he supported knew he would be there for them as a pillar of support.
Miss Wilmott said: “He was always a really caring person, and when he reached sixth form at KLB he was accepted onto the mentoring program, helping other students with mental health issues. Joe made a lot of friends because they all knew he would always have time for them and he could always be trusted with whatever they said.”
Want our best stories with fewer ads and alerts when the biggest news stories drop? Download our app on iPhone or Android
