Wilf Christopher Willis

Wilf was tragically taken away from us on November 22nd 2006 aged 46 years.

'A candle that burns twice as bright , lasts half as long'

To the world he may have been one person, but to one person he was the world!
Adam Willis 27th Jan 2007

17th of november 2006-Recieve a phone call from me dad from spain to see how i am, but due to the fact i was driving on the motorway on my phone i made haste with the phone call which wasnt really of much importance. Well at the time any way. Little did i know this would be the last time i'd speak to my dad. wish i had have made more time for him!

Tuesday the 21st of november 2006- at just before midnight i recieved an unexpected phone call from one of my best mates dad, gerry who i knew my dad had gone on holiday with. When he told me he was in hospital i wondered what was going on. They suggested i come to nottingham from uni. I thought to my self he'll be ok dads never ill. With just a sack full of things i set off for nottingham queens medical centre. 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 120mph as i got more anxious flying up the m1. milton keynes, northhampton, lutterworth and coalville, the usual exit all flash before by eyes. derby comes then finally nottingham. "Turn around when posssible" sat navs goin crazy but finally i arrive at the hospital. After 20 mins of trying to find my family i get told the severity of the situation. that little white room my family all crying , gerry the man who i'll always remember for helping my dad in his last efforts. I get told my dad has had a severe brain haemorrage 5/5 on the scale.

Wednesday the 22nd of november-As day breaks slowly but surely people start to arrive my girlfriend, family, friends, the people that cared most about my dad. When dad had 2 operations to try and drain some of the blood they gave him til 7 pm to assess whether or not he was gonna live and whether or not he was brain dead. With 7 being ma dads lucky number i could do nothin but pray for a miracle if anyone could recover from that situation my dad could ! 7 o clock came and after a day of anticipation it was time. The script was written and the legend of wilf was slowly dying in vein.history was being written right before my eyes. i was surrounded by grown men crying including myself. Everyone saying goodbye one after another leaving eventually me, ma mum n ma brother there with him, the famous 4 united for the last time. I promised him right there i would look after them all until i joined him up there.My dads Destiny as a hero was being fulfilled right before my eyes ( tears flood over the keyboard as i write this). Then as if it was the saddest of shakespeares love storys my mum cuddles up to my dad on his death bed in the worst time of my life, The time i have to watch my dad die in my mums arms. As i feel the tragedy happen in my helpless presence my dad sweats his last drops and fights right til the end. That was it! " do you want to donate any organs?" are you taking the piss ! anger, hatrid, regret all flood through my mind in the "doctors de-brief" not long passed before it was Time to go home- All them people having to walk out of that hospital and to leave dads empty shell in there now that it had just became useless.

friday the 1st of December - my dad lies there in his beloved conservatory with mutv on for the last time. As he lays there peacefully we all have a couple of cans and fill dads coffin with significant objects, notes, cigars, cider, pictures and most importantly £2.50 from wang to get his first pint when he gets there. Its time to go, the casket is closed for ever.
"For all times you stood by me, for all the truths you made me see, for all the joy you brought to my life,for all the wrongs that you made right,for every dream you made come true,for all the love i found in you, i'll be forever thankful" Our message to dad , The music thats is played as we get out of them dreaded black limosuines to witness a sea of black covering the road outside gresley church. I felt so proud that it counter-acted the upset! So much so that it allowed me to do a speech infront of the hundreds of people in the church and not forgetting the hundreds of people that were stood outside as the church was packed to capacity!
Frank sinartra's "My way" is sung by the whole chuch and he really did do it his way, not only was it his way it was my dads way and the best way. Time to leave the church with Wigan Casinos 3 before 8 from my dads northern soul days. Passing seasons all but fade away-Im just a pebble on the beach and i sit and wonder whyyyy. Life if just a precious minute baby, time will pass you by so quickly and it waits for no man!-a song that wakes me up every morning at uni with its significance preventing me from ever having a lie-in. As we lead the way to a black army travelling to gresley cemetary down front street past his dads shop past everything he has grown up with.we put dad in the ground! but this not the worse time of my life the worst was in the hospital and seeing my mum heart broken in the hospital. But how many people can say their dad was a true legend and a hero in every possible way-5 000 raised for charity just from donations!My dad prize catch in burton and derby newspapers "top result" as dad would say. I so wish it didnt happen to us but sometimes fate takes its cause and "wilf" should be remembered how he was. His inspiration, character and good will will live on in swadlincote and gresley forever .il never forget my dad, or anything about him, ever.Its just a shame my dad has to die for me to realise how much he really helped people. I just wish my kids could have had the chance to meet him but storys, pictures, newspapers and videos will have to do, i just wish he could see me fly my first jet plane or maybe he will???

You know i love you so much dad please look after us i know you didnt wanna die yet but dont worry the Wilf spirit will be with us every time we go to manchester or every time we go to australia and set sail into the sunset xxx

"if i dont see you through the week il see you through a window!"

a candle that burns twice as bright lasts half as long!