He was happy – having
met his soul mate, with whom he was contemplating marriage and children. His
enduring passion for music – mixing tracks, DJ’ing at clubs, starting a
record label (Soul Motive) with two friends to promote the music they loved
– was just beginning to bear fruit.
After
graduating in Leicester, and successfully trying various professional jobs,
he decided to concentrate more on his music. He had been studying to become
an electrician, whilst working in a popular bar in Bristol where he revelled
in meeting and talking to people. This left him some time to make and
promote the music that he felt so passionate about.
In fact, the help and encouragement he gave to so many
young people became very evident at his funeral in Bristol in April 2009.
The church was so full that people were standing at the back, although it
was a normal working day! The ‘celebration’ afterwards at the pub where he
worked, was packed to overflowing.
The tributes that poured in to a music forum on the web,
after his partner posted the news of his death, were as numerous and
unbelieving as they were humbling. So much positive comment about him as a
person who would be sorely missed made us feel very proud. It was almost as
though we only truly began to understand him as an adult after he had gone!
The massive tribute night staged in his honour at the end
of May at a large Bristol nightclub attracted a full house with many
different well known DJs playing for free in his memory.
Money raised in his memory has helped towards setting up
the Neil Kymatik Studio (his professional name) by the charity Remix, in the
Colston Hall in Bristol.
He would be so proud to know that this facility set up in
his name will help disadvantaged children and teenagers find a purpose and
meaning to their life through exploring and developing their music. We too
are immensely proud of him.
I have been searching through
old photographs and slides to produce a ‘photo book’ of Neil. Although this
is thought provoking and upsetting at times, I feel much more positive being
able to recall the happy, cheeky little boy who grew to be a warm,
compassionate man, someone who enjoyed what life had to offer, particularly
relating to making music and other people.
Early on I found the CRY website, having followed up
suggestions of possibly arrhythmia. The initial post-mortem results and
months of further testing found nothing wrong with him, resulting in
‘unascertained’. We were then able to avail ourselves of the generous help
that CRY offers, sending samples to Dr Mary Sheppard at the Brompton
Hospital. We now expect the final death certificate to state Sudden Adult
Death, and the immediate family (Mother, Father and two sisters) are in the
process of being referred for screening. This is another stepping stone to
accepting and moving on in our lives. No easy task.
I cannot praise enough the support and compassion shown
by Alison Cox in taking time to talk to me on the phone or email me, when I
can see how busy she must be. Thank you CRY.
