The father of Kirkburton schoolboy Isaac Nash, who drowned a year ago in North Wales, has told of the aching void left in his family’s life by his son’s death.
Adam Nash spoke to the Examiner as he and his wife Zoe, their 11-year-old son Xander and three-year-old daughter Greta are set to make an emotional return to the area on Sunday to present a £10,000 cheque raised by The Isaac Nash Trust, (TINT), to the RNLI.
Isaac, a popular, sporty, 12-year-old lad, lost his life off the shores of Aberffraw, Anglesey, on Friday, August 29, when a vicious rip tide swept him and his younger brother Xander out to sea and despite the courageous efforts of Adam and his grandfather Paul Nash to rescue them only Xander could be saved.
A major search by Holyhead Coastguard, RNLI and the RAF helicopter lasting several days failed to find his body.
Since then The Isaac Nash Trust has been set up in his memory with the dream of raising over £100,000 to create a scooter park in the village of Highburton where he lived.
Adam, who was 35, when the tragedy struck, said the pain of losing his eldest son was still as raw as ever. He said: “I think about it every day but you have to deal with it. It’s every day that you grieve. Some days can be extremely raw.
“I think about him when I am driving and your mind has time to wander and suddenly you find yourself in tears. Some of the worst times are when we go places together as a family and Isaac is not there anymore to enjoy those times with us.
“Xander misses him big time and Greta, who is too young to understand what has happened, keeps us busy. When she is around she is a big help.”
A lot of Isaac’s friends as well as Paul Nash and his partner Michael are attending Trearddur Bay RNLI lifeboat’s annual open day where Adam and Zoe will hand over the £10,000 cheque raised by TINT over the past year.
The couple will also meet the RNLI volunteer crew who have bought a memorial plaque in recognition of Isaac that will be going on permanent display in the boathouse.
Aubrey Diggle, Lifeboat Operations Manager at Trearddur Bay RNLI, said: “The fund-raising work that Isaac’s family have done in the last year is incredible and we felt it only fitting that we have a permanent memorial to Isaac at the station.”
Trearddur Bay RNLI’s two inshore lifeboats launched 42 times last year, rescuing 42 people.
After raising nearly £8,000 over the past four years for Kirkwood Hospice this year’s fund-raising event on Sunday at Upper Hopton Mills Cricket Club, Woodbottom, Mirfield, will be in aid of TINT.
Local teams will again compete for the David Bell memorial trophy. The format is being altered slightly this year with a few more teams involved and the intention of encouraging more children to play. There will be various stalls again this year as well as a bar, B’BQ and Prosecco bar. The fun starts at 10am and lasts all day.
