‘One of our very own’ - South Shields school pays tribute to a former pupil who died following an A1 crash
A South Shields school has paid tribute to a former pupil following his death.
The former school of a South Shields man who died following a crash on the A1(M) have spoken of their “fond memories” of him.
Lewis Smith sadly died following a collision near Chester-le-Street on the evening of Sunday, April 26.
The 20-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes A Class which is believed to have struck the central reservation of the road before coming to rest on its roof.
Lewis sustained life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash and was taken to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), in Newcastle, for treatment.
‘One of our very own’
Staff at Park View School, on Temple Park Road, in South Shields have reflected on their memories of Lewis during this time there as a pupil in a tribute on social media.
The Facebook post said: “We have fond memories of Lewis’s positivity, his compassion, his love for his family and always wearing a cheeky grin.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.
“Rest in peace Lewis, you were a great signing to the Park View team and one of our very own.”
They said: “He was a young lad, only aged 20, and had his whole life ahead of him.
“He already had a holiday booked for his 21st to Ibiza in July and had only been back home for a few days following his first holiday away without family before this tragedy struck.
“Lewis was a handsome young man with great respect for everyone. He had a heart of gold and wouldn’t hesitate to help someone in need and would always put a smile of the faces of the people he was with.
“He was a well-known lad in South Shields as he had an excellent attitude and was polite and well-mannered around everyone he met.
“We are all heartbroken and totally devastated by this loss. We all love you, son – you will be missed but never forgotten and will stay in our hearts and thoughts forever.”
Lewis’s funeral is set to take place on Tuesday, May 19, at 2.45pm at South Shields Crematorium, on John Reid Road.
His family have requested that anyone attending the funeral should wear something pink in his memory so that “the love and light” that he brought to their lives can be celebrated.
Tragic crash
The road was closed for over 12 hours to allow for emergency services to deal with the incident and police officers to carry out their investigations.
A second passenger, a man also aged 20, sustained serious injuries following the collision and was taken hospital for treatment.