| Location | Elgin, Scotland |
| Age | 20 years |
| Date of Birth | 10/1982 |
| Date of Death | 12/2002 |
| Visitors | 5,643 since 12/10/2006 |
| Creator |
Colin Hardy died on the 4th December 2002. He was 20 years old.
He still lived at home with me and his father, and has a brother Ross, and sister Tracy. Colin was
the youngest child, the baby of the family, although at 6 feet 4 inches tall he was some baby !!!
He was an ordinary lad, not good not bad, with a wonderful sense of humour. He liked nothing better
than to tell me implausible stories that at first I would believe, then slowly I would realise that
I was being taken in by the huge smile on his face as he saw my reaction. He was always plotting
some adventure or some mad plan to make money, and describing in great detail to me just what this
would entail. Most were pretty far fetched I must say !!!
Friday night was his favourite night as all his friends would come round to meet at our house and
listen to music, drink and chat before they went out. I used to be shouting ''turn that
music down'' - how I wish I still was. He loved music, the progressive trance type, which
all sounded the same to me and his Dad. He also was a big fan of The Stone Roses, as were his
brother and sister.
He had so many friends, and it seems as though everyone in our town knew him and had only good
things to say of him. Both male and female wanted to claim him as their best friend.
One of the nicest compliments I can think of.
He is missed so much by all of us. Not a day or an hour goes by that he is not in my thoughts. I
miss his big grin, his talk, his presence, his life.
On the 3rd December about 8 o'clock Colin went out with his girlfriend L**** to visit a
'friend'. I heard them come in about midnight, as I was in my bed, and heard Colin making
him self something to eat and drink in the kitchen below me. I was trying to get to sleep and could
just faintly hear the T.V. and their voices from the bedroom next door until I drifted off to
sleep.
The next morning, I got up, went to work for 7 AM, when I got a phone message to come home as
Colin's girlfriend couldn't wake him. I rushed home, to be met by the paramedics who said
to me ''I'm sorry m'dear there was nothing we could do''
I had no idea what they meant. I just couldn't comprehend what they were meaning. It was L****
who was making this awful wailing noise, that made me understand the meaning of their words.
It took almost 2 years for the reality to finally sink in.
I rushed up the stairs to see him, and he was in his bed and looked so peaceful as though he were
sleeping. I actually shook his arm to try and wake him up as I thought that some ghastly mistake had
been made.
I remember that he felt so cold to the touch and I wanted to warm him up.
The police discovered that Colin had taken heroin, injected in to him by this
''friend''. To the best of our knowledge the first time he had done so.
Why ? We have no idea, and the best explanation is because he could, and this person urged him to do
so.
Colin didn't come back 'home' until the 20th December and the toxicology report said
that it was '' a low dose not normally consistent with fatality''. Why it
killed Colin has never been fully explained to us, only that is was, ''one of those
things''. I don't think that there is an explanation for it.
Colin made a bad choice and paid for it with his life.
The funeral was the 23rd December and was attended by so many, it was standing room only. There
must have been over 350 people there. A wonderful tribute to him.
His brother and sister, family and friends have all been affected by his death.
It has changed our lives as well, in so many ways, that only another bereaved parent could fully
comprehend the impact on all aspects of our life.
one in a million
I first met Hardy when i was 11 at the top of ladyhill and he was just intoxicating, with that huge smile of his, everyone was around him and and he made everyone smile, as if that huge smile of his was contagious. He just started speaking to us as if it was the most natural thing in the world to be immediatlely nice to people you didn't know (if only it was). Everytime i saw him after that be it weeks, months, or even years, later he always greeted me as if i was an old friend with that huge smile. I'd like to think it was because i was a good friend but at the time i wasn't, i was just someone he had once met he was just realy that nice. I had never met a guy his age with such a kind heart.
It wasn't untill he started going out with my best friend that i really got to know him and he was everything i ever thought he was and more. His generosity, compassion, and just plain decency was unlike anyone else of his age. In all the time i knew him i never knew him to be mean or cruel to anyone.Even though i was usually a third wheel he always made me feel comfortable and welcome. He was also very funny and totally cracked me up. Many a night was spent listening to his funny wee phrases while playing timespltters and drinking way too many cups of tea for people our age. Whenever it was my turn to make tea he would get on to me, as i had always put the milk in before the water, which he explained was all wrong, the milk goes in last apparently it tasted better.I could go on and on about his good qualities but anyone who knew him even just for a day knew how brilliant,sweet,kind and funny he was.
I'ts been a while since those times and it's funny how people can influence your life. I will never forget the kindness he showed me and i now always put the milk in last when making a cup of tea and he was right it does taste better. He was a credit to his mum and dad and he is soarly missed by all. Luv ya to bit's Hardy x
This was a reply from Gary to me.
This was a reply from Gary to me, as I wrote to thank him for his posting. I'm sure he won't mind me posting it in public.
Once again thank you Gary, it is much appreciated.
It was an honour to know him. I was a shy boy from
the northen isles and he give me a lot of confidence when I was 16yrs old and 150 miles from home. meeting colin has shaped my life so much and it's such a shame what happened it really did sadden me when I discovered what happened . The memories of the college days will never be forgotten. I wish yourself and your family the very best for the future
Kindest regards
Gary Berston
rip hardy
i went to college in inverness with colin training to be a painter. Colin was one of my closest friends at college as i was a fair distance from home and he made me feel welcome. i always remember he was desperate to buy a playstation 2 and went and got a bank loan out to buy one. he asked me to drive him out to the retail park in inverness so he could get it i remember telling him he was an idiot for spending so much on it but he would just turn and smile and laugh.
he introduced me to dance music and i remember he had 1 cd by seb fontaine that he let me listen to and i loved so much i had to go out and buy it
i was told about a year ago that he had died by another boy i went to college with but did not believe what i was told. i happened to be doing an internet search and sadly stumbled across this tribute page
colin to me was a laugh and up for it and would always make you smile
RIP colin i will never forget the good days
chunder aka gary berston
orkney
HARDY BOO
well i still cant believe what happened and i would like to say how much you are missed, everyone who knew you loved you and you were a real friend, missed so much,
This is a poem sent to me by a dear friend.
When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see
The sun will rise and find your eyes are filled with tears for me
I wish so much you wouldn't cry, the way you do today
While thinking of the many things we didn't get to say
I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad
I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had
If I could relive yesterday just even for a while
I'd say goodbye and kiss you and maybe see you smile
But then I fully realised that this could never be
For emptiness and memories will that the place of me
So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart
For every time you think of me, I'm right there in your heart
pals
very much missed by me an ma daughter tammy-leigh great friend to me luv an miss him always xx god bless
Hardy was one of the nicest, happiest and funniest people you could ever hope to meet. The world will be a grayer place without you. x
Hardy
You always made me laugh. I have loads of good memories of you from primary school and high school. Some of my favourite memories from school have you in them. You will never be forgotten.
x
To Margaret...
Feel no guilt in laughter
He knows how much you care,
Feel no sorrow in a smile
That he’s not here to share.
Do not be sad forever
He would not want you to
He’d hope that you could carry on
The way you always do
So talk about the good times
And the ways you showed you cared
The days you spent together
All the happiness you shared,
Let memories surround you
A word someone may say
Will suddenly recapture
A time, an hour, a day
That brings him back as clearly
As though he were still here
And fills you with feelings
That he is always near
For if you keep these moments
You will never be apart
And he will live forever
Locked safe within your heart
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