Friends of a Welsh man who tragically died in Tenerife the day before his 30th birthday say they are determined to bring him back home to be laid to rest. Nicholas Desmond, known as Nicky, was from the Gabalfa area of Cardiff and had travelled to Tenerife the day before he died on July 29.
Now a fundraiser has been launched to raise money to bring Nicky home to Cardiff. A family friend said that Nicky had been in Tenerife for just "hours" before his death.
Sacha Pugsley, 29, described Nicky as "bubbly and outgoing" and as someone who was "always happy." Nicky, who was from Cardiff, grew up in the Gabalfa and Roath areas of the city.
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He had flown out to Tenerife in the early hours of July 29, the day before his 30th birthday, and had been there for only a few hours when he was rescued from the sea in Callao Salvaje with signs of drowning. Emergency services were called and Nicky was flown to Adeje, where an ambulance was waiting to transport him to hospital, but he tragically died.
Sacha has set up a Go Fund Me, working with the charity Reparation Services Trust (REST) to raise the funds to bring Nicky home to Cardiff. REST aims to assist with financial support for bereaved families by repatriating their loved ones who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances back home to Wales.
The charity was set up by Steve and Linda Bassett after their son Tom was killed in a hit and run crash in Dubai in 2017. It cost the family £6,600 to bring Tom home.
Speaking to WalesOnline, Sacha said that Nicky was "known all over Cardiff, mostly for the type of person he was." She said: "He was very bubbly, very outgoing. He always had a helping hand for everybody." The pair had grown up on the same street in Cardiff.
"He would literally walk the world for me if he could. He was always happy, always bubbly. I don't think I'd ever seen a time where he was upset. He'd never bring anybody down," she continued. A balloon release was held in Nicky's memory the day of his 30th birthday on July 30 in Gabalfa.
The fundraiser is aiming to raise £10,000 to cover the cost of repatriating Nicky to Cardiff from Tenerife. You can donate to the fundraiser here. A family fundraiser is also set to take place on August 13 from 1pm at The Master Gunner in Gabalfa. Speaking about the charity, Sacha said that they had "lifted a weight off [their] shoulders" in assisting the family with paperwork.
The Go Fund Me page reads: "On the day of 29th July we lost our Nicky after he was rescued from the sea in south of Tenerife. The night before 30th birthday our boy was taken from us sent to fly his wings, the tragic accident had left a mark on us all I want to raise as much I can to bring him back from Spain and lay him to rest at home we’re he belongs.
"The expenses to bring him home are extremely high let’s bring him back. The unexpected death of a child is an unimaginable loss that no one could prepare for. Every parent's greatest fear is the loss of their child. It happened so suddenly and I know nothing will ever fill the void in their hearts.
"He was such a beautiful soul, a brother, a son loved by all that met him, has left us too soon. Our beloved friends & The Gabalfa community have suffered a significant loss with the recent passing of their precious friend Nicky. While we cannot take away their pain, we can help this loving family with the many financial burdens they now face. Please consider donating as they lay their son to rest and take the time away to grieve."
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