School pals of 29-year-old Jason Bird – who tragically died after falling from the window of a Stevenage tower block – have paid a moving tribute this week to “the nicest guy you’d ever meet”.
Former Marriotts School students Monuf Abdul, Lee Bramble, Jamie Cawley, Lawrence Clarke, Michael Fletcher, Will Mitchell, Ben Rayner, Robert Redman, Jed Taylor and Jimmy Wright – who all knew Jason when he was a pupil there until 2002, have expressed their grief at their friend’s passing.
They said: “We were going to write something meaningful, maybe a poem or short eulogy. But that’s not your style.
“You’ve got so many friends here and we all just want to say that we’ll miss you mate. We had the best laughs with you and have all the great memories to go with them.
“Rest up Birdy – all our love mate.”
On behalf of the group, good friend Jed Taylor added: “Birdy – as he was known to his mates – was the quiet guy of the group, everyone will tell you that.
“They’ll also tell you he was genuinely the nicest guy you’d ever meet, everyone’s best friend and a close friend to many more.
“A mild-mannered, smartly dressed, subtle toned but all round good time guy.
“From as far back as I can remember at school he was always one of the faces, always there, always laughing along with the rest of the crowd as we’d crack jokes and run riot across the school – as you did back at that age.
“He was the first guy to arrive at a party and the last guy to leave.
“Sadly he left this party too early. He’ll be missed by his many friends and I’m sure we’ll all be reminiscing about the good times we had with him for a long time to come.”
Floral tributes and a lit candle have been placed outside the High Plash flat block on Cuttys Lane where Jason died.
One reads: “Our deepest thoughts are with the family at this very sad time. Lots of love as always, Jenny, Bob and family.”
As the Comet reported online on Friday morning, police were called to the building at 6pm last Thursday after receiving reports of a serious injury.
An air ambulance landed in the grounds of the nearby Broom Barns Community Primary School and land ambulances also attended.
Paramedics treated the 29-year-old but he died at the scene.
A police spokesman said the death is not being treated as suspicious, but it is expected that an inquest will be held at a later date.
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