Kyle Preston: Dozens attend funeral of young Wrexham man

Kyle Preston, aged 24, died unexpectedly in December - and will be sadly missed by many.

Kyle's funeral took place at Wrexham Crematorium on Tuesday (January 11), and was attended by dozens of his friends and family - with even more attending his wake at the Four Dogs pub afterwards.

His eulogy read: "Kyle's sudden and unexpected passing at home at the age of just twenty-four brings us together today in these particularly poignant circumstances given that potentially he still had so many years of life ahead of him, during which he could have continued to make his mark amongst his family and friends in his own wonderful way.

"Much-loved and very popular, Kyle was a true ‘party animal’ and brilliant company - a proper lad - as all those who shared in his life know very well.

"With his journey through life now at an end, Kyle leaves his mum Linzi and her partner Steven, his Nan and Grandad Wendy and Lawrence, his younger brother and sister Todd and Leyla, wider family and many, many friends.

"Today - whilst we acknowledge the truth of Kyle’s passing and all that this entails, let’s use the time we now have together to focus our thoughts and feelings upon life rather than loss; upon what made Kyle - Kyle and in doing so, provide him with a fitting farewell."

It said that he loved his bikes and at the age of five had his first motorbike - a small one which he "whizzed about in the fields with a big smile on his face".

Whilst a pupil at Wat's Dyke Primary School, Kyle played football for Garden Village FC - and that "those skinny legs of his" carried him to several ‘Match of The Match’ awards and how chuffed he was when he got to bring the trophy to show off at home.

After leaving Darland High School, Kyle began his working life as an apprentice electrician with I.G. Electrical.

Kyle was keen to ‘live his life’ and to have as much fun as possible. On one occasion Kyle had a nasty fall at work and broke his arm, just before a trip to Amsterdam with his then girlfriend, Nisha. Being Kyle, this wasn’t going to stop him to after cutting off his cast - he got on the plane and was soon landing in Schipol Airport.

Linzi also remembers Kyle breaking his nose at the skatepark in Rhosddu, where he ended up with blood all over his brand new Nike trainers, which bothered Kyle far more than his broken nose.

Kyle loved his beloved Audi and was very proud of it and even though he had lots of really good friends, his ‘best mate’ was definitely his dog Bruno. The two of them were inseparable and after a ride in Kyle’s work van, they’d enjoy many a good walk together.

Further tributes were then paid to him by six of his close friends - with the closing music, poignantly, chosen as 'Shine Bright Like a Diamond' by Rihanna.

The family is collecting donations for a memorial bench at The Four Dogs - Kyle's local.

The closing words read by the Minister said: "Whatever your own beliefs and outlook on matters of life and death, I hope that today’s service for Kyle has been a comforting experience and that you can all take inspiration from the way he lived his life and carry it with you into your own.

"If time is the true currency of life, then time with Kyle was time well spent, so may you be able to look back and be glad for his life, rather than to dwell too much on his passing.

"We naturally talk of our loved ones leaving us when their lives come to an end, which is of course an inescapable truth, yet it is equally true that they never really leave us, as they continue to occupy such a special place in our hearts and minds, for true love and genuine affection endure all things."