Grandpa breaks down in tears as teen boy dies days after 19th birthday in crash with pals after telling him ‘I love you’
THE GRANDFATHER of a teenage boy, who died in a car crash with his two friends, broke down in tears today as he paid tribute to his “good lad”.
Peter Hall laid flowers at the scene in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, for his grandson Mason Hall, who had only celebrated his 19th birthday a few days ago.
Police were called at 6.10pm on Sunday after the crash involving a white Ford Fiesta, which was travelling along Kiveton Lane, close to the Todwick Court junction in Kiveton Park.
The three men inside - two 19-year-olds and an 18-year-old - were pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said.
Mr Hall said his grandson came to see him last week and told him: "I don't come to see you that often, grandad, but I do love you."
Mr Hall added: "I don't know what to say. It was his birthday last week. He was 19. And that was it. The end of it.
"It's hard to swallow. Death's only just two minutes away for anybody."
Mr Hall, from the village of Wales Bar, said his family were heartbroken.
He added: "He was a good lad. Six foot odd, a giant of a lad. Fit as a fiddle.
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"We met him on Thursday - me and his nanan - to give him his birthday present.
"His last words to me were, 'I don't come to see you that often, grandad, but I do love you'. It's hard."
Mr Hall said his grandson was from Woodhouse in Sheffield, and his friends who died were from Kiveton Park and Swallownest.
Friends and relatives of the three gathered around the tree to lay flowers on Monday morning.
One message said: "Such a nice lad who had so much to live for. Our thoughts are with you and your family."
Another said: "It was a privilege to have worked with you and known you over the years. You were always so respectful and made time for others."
'KIND AND RESPECTFUL KID'
A childhood friend said Mason, from Sheffield, South Yorks., was 'one of the kindest people you could meet'.
The pal, called Taylor, said: "He was such a kind person to everyone he met whether he knew them for a day or for a year.
"He was the type of person to give you his last tenner out of his pocket so he didn't see you go without.
"He was the type of person to make you laugh and pull you up when you were down."
Taylor said he was close pals with Mason when they were youngsters but hadn't seen much of him in recent years.
He added: "I know deep in my heart that he will have still been the great lad that I knew growing up with and I'll never forget him for as long as I live.
"I don't want to come across as the person who knew him best or more than anyone else because I would be lying, I just want people to remember him for the kind and respectful kid he was."
Meanwhile other friends took to social media, with one writing: “I don’t know what to say. Can’t get my head around what’s happened. Such a tragedy and waste.
“Our Mase gone,taken way too soon.
“Mason Hall you were loved by so many and will be missed by so many more. x.”
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Local councillor Dominic Beck said at the scene: "It's just terrible and devastating to hear of the tragic loss of life of three young people. The whole community's prayers, thoughts and love are with the families."
The wreckage of the vehicle had been removed by daybreak on Monday and police had left the area, but there was clear damage to the bark of the tree and part of a low wall nearby had been demolished.
