...as a start, here are a few photos of Ben (nearly) on this day in 2014 ... he was often not quite in Cornwall by his birthday, as Montol/Solstice was a full week later, but in 2014, he did come down (his Nannie and Great Aunty Mary were here that year too). I had hired a digger earlier in the month, and kept it for an extra week so that Ben could have a play...on his birthday!
¡Que haya luz! Kerenza ha yeghes da! Dad/Andrew x
[Ed: from Luke:]
he loved that digger x
[Ed: from Jared:]
Hi Andrew,
Will be thinking of you and Ben tomorrow. Thanks for sharing those photos of Ben and the digger, he looks in his element.
I remember I invited Ben to my birthday meal a few years back (2019 I believe) and he sneakily paid for not only my, but all of my friends in attendance's meals. I tried to organise a repayment among my friends but Ben was having none of it.
Then in October 2021, on my 29th birthday, Ben happened to be in London so came to my house to say hello and collect some items I had of his. We went out for a meal at my local pub and caught up about all that was new with each other, love lives, studies, future plans etc. Needless to say, Ben again insisted on paying for my meal - I knew I wouldn't convince him otherwise but said to him that the next time he was around on his birthday, I was absolutely going to pay him back for all of his birthday generosity, sadly I never got the chance. I remember watching him drive off and just assuming that it wouldn't be long until I saw him again, as we do in life. Imagining his car disappearing down my road now is so painful.
I hope my email does not add to your grief, I just wanted to share some birthday-related memories and remind you (as if you would ever need reminding!) of how kind, generous and amazing a friend Ben was.
Happy birthday Ben, sending love to the Corser family xx