Brother pays tribute to road accident victim

Brother pays tribute to road accident victim

14 October 2015

A MOVING tribute has been paid to Killyleagh man Chris Rice who tragically lost his life in a car accident last week.

The 28 year-old was on his way to Queen’s University, where he was a final year history and archaeology student, when his car was involved in a collision with a tractor at the Killyleagh Road outside Saintfield.

Mr Rice’s brother Peter described him as “someone who had a heart of gold” and said the Rice family have been overwhelmed by the support they have received from hundreds of people in the wake of last week’s accident.

“Chris was someone always helping others. That was just the sort of person he was,” said Peter. “His death is a real tragedy for our family and his friends. He will be missed so much by not just us, but everyone who was fortunate to know him. Our family is devastated.

“Chris had so many friends and was someone who had everything going for him in life. He was so well thought off and had a heart of gold. He put the needs of others first and always had a smile on his face. He could brighten anyone’s day. That’s just the sort of person he was. He was a loveable person who wouldn’t harm a fly.”

Peter said his younger brother — who would have celebrated his 29th birthday this December — had recently commenced a teacher training placement at his former primary school in Killyleagh, St Mary’s, and had planned to move to England with his girlfriend Alicia Green to teach once he had graduated.

“Chris wanted to be a teacher and this was going to be his chosen career. He also worked very hard and held down several jobs while still studying and was affectionately known as “Ginger” as a result of his striking red hair. He was a really loveable, placid and down to earth guy,” he continued.

Peter said his brother was a member of the Queen’s rowing team and given his commitment and passion for helping others, had started managing the university’s novice rowers.

“The university flew its flag at half mast in memory of Chris and cancelled a number of lectures and this gesture is really appreciated by our family. It also shows what those at Queen’s thought of him. We were overwhelmed so many people from the university called at the family home and attended the funeral. Chris rowed all over Ireland for Queen’s and really enjoyed the sport. Ironically, he was due to take part in a competition on the day of his funeral.

“Chris was also football mad. He played youth football for Killyleagh and played for both Saintfield United and Saintfield AYC but when he went to Queen’s he was bitten by the rowing bug.”

Peter said his brother was on his way to Queen’s from St. Mary’s Primary School when last week’s accident happened and was then planning to go to work in Belfast to help cover a shift.

“That was Chris, always helping others. The stories we heard about him helping others from callers to the home was unbelievable. One of his lecturers said he would not describe my brother as his student but his friend. He had so many friends and they all paid tribute to him and we have been completely overwhelmed by their support and that of our friends and neighbours,” Peter continued.

The Killyleagh man worked at Slim’s Healthy Kitchen in Belfast where a juice named Carrot Top, as a jovial reference to Chris’ ginger hair, was launched to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer, a charity which Chris supported in this year’s Belfast half marathon in recognition of the charity’s work with the families of his uncles in England when they died of cancer.

He continued: “This was typical of Chris. Always helping others and he was a Newcastle United fan through and through. Chris was renowned for having a smile on his face and was particularly close to his nephew Keegan.

“His death has been hard on the family, especially our mum and dad. He will be sorely missed by all of us, including his girlfriend Alicia who was studying in Canada and who came to Killyleagh for his funeral. They were both planning to go to England next year to live and work. Alicia, like the rest of us, is devastated. A loving son and brother is no longer with us. He will be sadly missed and the number of people at his funeral showed how highly he was thought of.”

Peter added: “We want to thank everyone for their help and support, in particular our relatives, friends and neighbours, Fr Eugene O’Neill, the Carberry family, Slim’s Healthy Kitchen, staff and students at Queen’s and Ciaran Fitzpatrick of Seamus Fitzsimons Funeral Directors. They were all so kind and we will never be able to thank them enough for what they did.”

Mr Rice, who was laid to rest last Saturday at St. Mary’s cemetery in Killyleagh following a service of Requiem Mass at St Mary’s Star of the Sea church conducted by Fr O’Neill, is survived by his parents Louis and Audrey, sisters Machaella, Audrey, Lisa and Louise and brothers Peter, Darrell, Louis and Keith.