The Lad's Stories

Paul's Story

I was introduced to Mark through Rob (Parry) in Yale College, although I was in school with him in Bryn Offa it was in college we became friends. We started going out to town on Tuesday nights, because it was student night, which meant cheap drinks, but this soon escalated into Thursday, Friday, Saturday and occasionally Sunday nights. We would always meet in the student Union or the Black Horse, depending on how pissed we were planning on getting. The alternative if we were skint, was to get some bottles of cheap wine and drink them in Asda car park before heading to XS.

After a few months I knew Mark was a great friend and he would always be the first person I rang to see if he was going out (which was always YES!).

Always from Wrexham we’ve been to lots of various dance events such as Cream nightclub, M.E.N. Arena and Cream fields and on most of these occasions it would always be Mark who wanted to stay for one more song or to see one more DJ, but all the lads knew that he just wanted more beer!

And that reminds me of camping in Shell Island where Mark drank everyone’s crates of lager, then refused to sleep in the tent because it was so cold, so he slept in a nice warm car and woke us all up early by kicking a football at the tent.

During a conversation in Yates beer garden one day when me and Rob were asking Mark what he was going to do for a job after Ck1 nightclub closes (where Mark worked as head barman), he said "It doesn't matter, you’ll find out soon." We didn't think much of this till a few weeks later when we heard Mark had been diagnosed with cancer - it was physically like being punched in the face. It is still frustrating knowing that he knew for so long and not saying anything, but that just sums him up, even up till he went to hospital, you wouldn't have known there was anything wrong with him.

I’m glad we both shared a strong love of music, because hearing certain songs, brings memories and that will last forever!

Mark had friends in abundance and that was apparent in the hospital and the funeral, due to his great character and personality.

I thank Julie for making me a bearer at the funeral. I know for me and the lads it was a great honour.