My start at University this Autumn has not been easy.
I feel that I need to acknowledge the brief and unique life of one of my dear friends Andrew Towers. To those closest to him he was known by many names - to me he will always be Nancy.
I met Nancy whilst at middle school in year 6, we were working on an English project together along with our mutual friend Jimmy. I noticed that beneath Nancy's shy exterior was a dark sense of humour, and a rare quick wit. I think that it was our unusual comedic taste that first brought us close as we shared jokes together in classes which might make others blush. However Nancy and I were different in many ways and this is what I loved about our friendship - that we learned so much from each other in our time together.
Early on, I learned that Nancy simply 'didn't listen to music or care for it that much' - at the time I was in choir, orchestra, recorder group (you get the picture) and so I found this concept totally alien to me. I could not understand how he didn't find music rousing and invigorating. I would like to think that my gentle bullying might have swayed him to reconsider his opinion on music - though I am sure that adolescence has a way of changing our perspectives! The closer our friendship became, the more Nancy would open up and the more I would realise how special he was. Nancy was a true genius in the sense that intelligence came easy to him and I am sure he knew how in awe of his mathematical skills I was. He also succeeded in Science and Geography though he never used his skill to best anyone. Nancy would be the first person to stop his own work to help you, encourage you or to urge you to keep working. His patience with me in Maths lessons is probably why I got an A at GCSE.
Something his Uncle said at his funeral really hit hard - Nancy was a true Gentleman. He was always the last to judge someone, he was respectful of all (unless you bad-mouthed Chelsea - which I liked to do often) and he was the most modest person I will ever meet. Naturally these qualities made him very popular by the time he started A levels - and I wish I could have taken my A levels with him as he would have made them immeasurably more fun.
Nancy was hit by a train on September 11th 2012. I have no idea why he was there, why he was hit, what happened or why he is gone. Just typing that sentence is incredibly hard.
There are so many things I expected to share with him in my life - most important of all I had thought of him as a godfather figure to my future children, I wanted him at my wedding, I wanted to graduate with him and to sign each-others mortars. I wanted to grow old hilariously like we had always planned to - joining a punk band and piercing everything in sight. I wanted to create our hippie commune when none of us got jobs after uni - and have him as the live-in Accountant. I wanted to carry out our very unique bucket list; Running the London Marathon backwards dressed as sheep, Taking a Chainsaw to a Thatched cottage, Mistaking the Prime Minister for a Porn Star and the Queen for Helen Mirren.
What I can say is that to have been one of Andrew Towers' best friends for part of his life is one of the best gifts life can give me. To have shared so many good times with him, and some great milestones already is a great honour. I consider myself very privelaged to have had him in my life - enriching it with so much laughter I would feel sick, so much kindness and love that I will never forget.
Thank you Nancy for all you have given me. I miss you.
I feel that I need to acknowledge the brief and unique life of one of my dear friends Andrew Towers. To those closest to him he was known by many names - to me he will always be Nancy.
I met Nancy whilst at middle school in year 6, we were working on an English project together along with our mutual friend Jimmy. I noticed that beneath Nancy's shy exterior was a dark sense of humour, and a rare quick wit. I think that it was our unusual comedic taste that first brought us close as we shared jokes together in classes which might make others blush. However Nancy and I were different in many ways and this is what I loved about our friendship - that we learned so much from each other in our time together.
Early on, I learned that Nancy simply 'didn't listen to music or care for it that much' - at the time I was in choir, orchestra, recorder group (you get the picture) and so I found this concept totally alien to me. I could not understand how he didn't find music rousing and invigorating. I would like to think that my gentle bullying might have swayed him to reconsider his opinion on music - though I am sure that adolescence has a way of changing our perspectives! The closer our friendship became, the more Nancy would open up and the more I would realise how special he was. Nancy was a true genius in the sense that intelligence came easy to him and I am sure he knew how in awe of his mathematical skills I was. He also succeeded in Science and Geography though he never used his skill to best anyone. Nancy would be the first person to stop his own work to help you, encourage you or to urge you to keep working. His patience with me in Maths lessons is probably why I got an A at GCSE.
Something his Uncle said at his funeral really hit hard - Nancy was a true Gentleman. He was always the last to judge someone, he was respectful of all (unless you bad-mouthed Chelsea - which I liked to do often) and he was the most modest person I will ever meet. Naturally these qualities made him very popular by the time he started A levels - and I wish I could have taken my A levels with him as he would have made them immeasurably more fun.
Nancy was hit by a train on September 11th 2012. I have no idea why he was there, why he was hit, what happened or why he is gone. Just typing that sentence is incredibly hard.
There are so many things I expected to share with him in my life - most important of all I had thought of him as a godfather figure to my future children, I wanted him at my wedding, I wanted to graduate with him and to sign each-others mortars. I wanted to grow old hilariously like we had always planned to - joining a punk band and piercing everything in sight. I wanted to create our hippie commune when none of us got jobs after uni - and have him as the live-in Accountant. I wanted to carry out our very unique bucket list; Running the London Marathon backwards dressed as sheep, Taking a Chainsaw to a Thatched cottage, Mistaking the Prime Minister for a Porn Star and the Queen for Helen Mirren.
What I can say is that to have been one of Andrew Towers' best friends for part of his life is one of the best gifts life can give me. To have shared so many good times with him, and some great milestones already is a great honour. I consider myself very privelaged to have had him in my life - enriching it with so much laughter I would feel sick, so much kindness and love that I will never forget.
Thank you Nancy for all you have given me. I miss you.
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