The family of ‘larger than life’ Simon Daniels have paid an emotional tribute to him after his body was recovered from Dovestone Reservoir.
The 29-year-old personal trainer tragically died after getting into difficulty while paddleboarding at the popular beauty spot.
Emergency services recovered a body last Wednesday, 23 October, after a huge search effort that began on Sunday 20 October when it was reported that two people were struggling in the water.
One person, reportedly Simon’s girlfriend, was recovered from the water and taken to hospital.
Simon Daniels, from Cheshire, was formally identified last week and his family have now released a tribute to him.
They describe him as a ‘friend to everyone’, with a ‘pure heart’ and a ‘larger-than-life personality’.
Simon’s family also detailed that the local community has honoured his life with church bells and fireworks, proving how ‘popular and inspirational’ he was.
Their tribute in full says: “Simon is our world, he’s funny, unpredictable and has a heart as big as an ocean.
“His larger than life and his crazy personality lit up every room and his love, kindness and inspiration touched so many people who he met.
“Simon was a friend to everyone, nobody was a stranger in his eyes.
“His passions were fitness and the gym and helping others to become the best version of themselves.
“His heart was pure and he was unapologetically himself. Funny doesn’t cut it. He was hilarious. He had this power to bring everyone together. He just wanted everyone to be friends.
“He loved life and even at the darkest of times he still managed to light up the room.
“The community have also shown how much they loved Simon, church bells have rang in his memory along with fireworks. We had no idea how popular and inspirational he was in our local community.”
Simon’s family have asked for privacy whilst they grieve his loss.
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Featured image: GMP
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