'˜He lived his life in his own way': tributes paid to Sam Kay

Sam Kay, who worked as a rehabilitation assistant in Abington among other places, died on Sunday night in a head-on collision near Swindon.

Since then, a huge number of tributes have been paid to Sam and his friends on social media.

This morning his mum and dad - Debra and Stuart - and sister Nicola gave their first public statement via Thames Valley Police,

It read: “There are no words to express the hurt we are feeling at the loss of our son, Sam.

“He was such a happy, loving person that lived life not only to the fullest, but in his own way.

“His infectious smile and urge to give a hug is what made him so memorable.”

His family said Sam’s love for travel led him to lots of unique places, where he met “so many unforgettable friends” and he also had a great love for animals and he would invariably be followed by his dog, Felkica.

His family’s statement said they had discovered just how popular Sam was.

It continued: “After reading a countless amount of tributes, we see that Sam has touched so many lives in such a positive way.

“We are so very proud of the young man that he turned into.

“This tragedy has left a huge hole in our lives. Sam was taken from this world way too early and will be missed dearly, but he will forever be in our hearts. “Goodbye, Darling. We love you. Mum, Dad, and Nicola xxx”