Hundreds attend Sam Gattens' funeral

Posted by The Journal on Jun 19, 09 09:22 AM in News

They came in their hundreds to send tragic teenager Sam Gattens on his last journey.

The 17-year-old's life was cut short when the car he was driving overturned and hit a tree on the B6341 near Lion Bridge, just outside Alnwick, Northumberland.

Sam Gattens coffin leaves St Michael's Church

The imposing St Michael's Church, in Alnwick, could barely accommodate the mourners yesterday as friends and family overwhelmed his funeral service, led by the Rev Rachel Squires.

Sam's coffin was draped in red and white flowers spelling his name, to symbolise his love for Sunderland AFC. And those close to him embraced as pallbearers fighting tears began the final goodbye.

The church overlooks the River Aln valley, close to the spot where the teenage golf prodigy lost his life in the early hours of Sunday. The popular former Duchess's High School student had only passed his driving test six days earlier.

In an emotional reading made on behalf of Sam's brother, Adam, 21, the teenager was described as "everyone's friend".

"I always thought I was more popular than Sam, but I wasn't," he said. "I always thought he was known as my brother, but no. I was known as his.

"I will be proud to walk down the street and be known as his brother. He was the best anyone could wish for.

"He looked up to me and would always ask me questions about life and people. Sam treated his friends as family. He had no enemies."

The Duchess's School choir brought the congregation to tears with a haunting rendition of Light in the Soul, their voices cracking at times at the strain of performing the hardest song they may ever sing.

Another friend, MJ Campbell, read a letter to Sam from the 17-year-old's distraught parents, Michael, 56, and Catherine, 49.

"Sam was a very special son," it read. "He loved everything he did and always had a smile on his face.

"It's a tragedy for him to die when times were good for him and things were going so well. Life will be so hard without him."

Struggling for composure, Sam's friend Dale Trotter spoke for all who loved him.

"He was an outgoing and fun lad, everyone's friend," he said, breaking down.

"He was a great sportsman and dreamed of being a golfer and I know he would have made it, if he'd just been with us for a bit longer.

"He must have played on every golf course in Northumberland."

Sam had two brothers, Adam, and Lewis, 14, and was planning to apply to a golfing college after re-sitting his GCSE exams.

With a handicap of three, he was determined to emulate his hero Tiger Woods and would spend hours perfecting his shots on courses around Northumberland between his school studies.

Mourners, many wearing red arm bands, left the service for a private ceremony at Alnwick Cemetery, to the Kate Winslet song What If?

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Sam Gattens' funeral